It's There I Promise
The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain, and the itsy-bitsy spider went up the spout again.
To all the itsy-bitsy spiders out there, working hard to get up that spout only to be washed back down, prepare to start back up! I know folks that are struggling. Friends that are hurting in physical, emotional and financial ways. Some that have battles that I can't see and those that are so evident that it's impossible to ignore. There isn't anyone that has complete bliss and no problems in their life. For now, we're all on the same boat.
Over and over the same story has come to surface for me. It's not Noah and the arc. It's Moses and the Isrealites. In my daily reading, in worship, in study, sermons, song, life...
The Israelites struggled with the heaviness of slavery. The Egyptians were not pleasant to work for. They had no respect for them as humans and they worked them like mules. Images of Egyptians and their adornments of gold and jewels laying around with servants at their beckoning call have been around for centuries. Slaves feeding the Pharaoh grapes and fanning him with palm leaves while he lifts not even a finger. The physical labor the Israelites endured was unimaginable. They were oppressed and miserable. God heard them, Exodus 3:9. They were His chosen people after all.
God told Moses to go talk to Pharaoh and he did, (with help from Aaron and God's miracles). Numerous times. Each time the pharaoh didn't honor his word to let the Israelites go. And each time he went back on his word, God put a plague on Egypt.
Time and time again, the Egyptians were dealt a horrible fate, but they kept testing God. Moses was faithful and continued to ask God for help. God continued to send him to Pharaoh, each time he had opportunity to allow God's will for the people, but Pharaoh's pride stood in the way.
Finally, the Isrealites were set free. They were able to be done with the torture of the Egyptians and the chains of slavery. But their suffering wasn't over...
Years and years of wandering, wondering, trials and tests left them weak, confused, angry and exhausted, but Moses kept his faith and continued to show the people that he was still trusting God. Some believed, some didn't. Miracles were happening in their faces, but still they questioned. They wanted all their blessings NOW. They didn't even realize they were getting them, every minute of every day.
I hope you can see the sun in the midst of the rain. Whether you like spiders or you don't, I pray you hunker down while the rain is falling. Hunker down on your knees and let God work. Then, when the rain is dried up, crawl back out and keep going. Up, up, up! Keep reaching for Him. He's reaching down for you.
BTW-The Isrealites finally made it to the promised land...we will too...I'm ready, how 'bout you? Been washed in the blood? Keep the faith!
