Philippians 1:12-14 (The Message) "I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I'm in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they've learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah."
Their cabin was on the river across from the general store. The only crossing was a full day's journey down stream in the best of weather, but with this early winter snowstorm the trip would be totally impossible. The pioneer life was new to them and they had fared pretty well until the sickness sweeping through their little community touched his beloved wife, Lillian. Time was short and he knew he had only two options: he could stay by her side until the grim reaper gathered her into his arms, or he could risk crossing the river on the ice to the store to get the medication needed to save her. But he knew nothing about ice. Would it hold his weight? Could he make it to the other side and back in time? What to do? Better to give his life trying to save her than to see her suffer so terribly until death. He kissed her tenderly, stoked the fire, and softly closed the door as he left the cabin.
He stretched himself out on the ice, thinking that distributing his weight evenly would be the best way to assure himself that he could crawl across. Even tiny creaks terrified him. He just knew the ice was breaking! When he was only a few yards out there was this horrible noise! The ice! It's cracking! I can't make it! It's all over for me! God take Lillian quickly, please. Don't let her suffer.
The noise came closer and he held his breath waiting to be crushed and thrust into the icy waters. But when he looked up, there was this wagon full of wood pulled by two stout horses galloping across the ice! He jumped up and down, shouting for joy and ran across the river...and they lived happily ever after.
Why was he jubilant? Why this sudden burst of confidence? What changed his fears to joy? Seeing someone else cross the ice before him, with a lot more weight than his.
God knows us intimately. He knows every hurt, every joy. He lets us see others facing circumstances like ours or even more stressful, and how they overcome. He lets a wagon full of wood pulled by 2 huge horses gallop by and we say "They did it! They made it! It's safe! Praise God!" And we jump for joy! Why? We still have to cross the river on the scary ice, but someone has gone before us and proven to us just how thick the ice is.
He gives us encouragement. He gives us strength. He says "You have seen Me bring them safely through their crisis. Trust Me. I will do it all for you."
Those words, though easy sounding and perhaps cliche, carry a lot of weight. Something I've been struggling with a lot - letting Him do. He will do it ALL for me. And you. Not part of it, or give you a push in the right direction...He will do it ALL. He already has and continues to on a daily basis. We are standing on ice so thick that nothing can break it, and someone (you may never know who) is jumping for joy as they see you thundering across the frozen river. Not only is this illustration encouraging and comforting because I am yet again reminded that nothing can separate me from God, and that no crappy thing I go through will be the end of me because I have Him. But it's also convicting. When I'm going through situations that are hard, and require me to be forged in the fire, do I lay down hoping to slowly crawl across - or do I trust in the unbelievable power of my God? When others see my life and the situations I go through, are they jumping for joy that I am running freely across the river, or are they terrified as I try to do it alone and crawl slowly? Do people see Christ in my life? Do they see me overcoming my situations through His strength?
Think about that today.
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