My wife and I recently
bought a new home in Hayesville, NC, about two hours West of Asheville, NC. It
is a lovely home with a bad grooming problem...it practically has no grass
growing in the yard due to the rocky, clay soil. So, together, we scratched around
in the dirt; planted seed and fertilizer...and now we have a new morning ritual
....we spend time together, WATERING THE GRASS, because we have had no rain
since August 30th. During my part of the ritual this morning, I moved some
rocks around a flower bed and found a number of black insects milling
around...it reminded me of a blog post of several years ago that is reprinted
today. I hope you enjoy and take to heart its message of PERSEVERANCE.
Big Black Bug
For the last few summers, here across the South, it has been
brutal when it comes to the drought conditions that have beset us. In fact,
it’s made me do something I have never done before in my adult life…..water the
grass and surrounding plants in my yard. Why just the other morning, I was out
at the crack of dawn to perform my new ritual, when this great BIG BLACK BUG
(or wasp or mutant bumblebee) altered its flight plan and made a straight
beeline (no pun intended) for me. Well, I did the only manly thing I could do…I
switched the nozzle on the water hose to JET and shot that sucker right out of
the air before it collided with my forehead ( I’m sure it would have left a
mark). It plummeted to the grass, but I could tell it was only deterred,
stunned or dazed: but definitely not ready to give up the fight; so, I sprayed
even more water on it to make sure it would stay down. After about 40 seconds
of watering the grass in that “special” spot, I once again turned my attention
to the rest of the yard. After several minutes, I made my way back to that area
of conflict and found that bug struggling to climb out of that wet grass and
get airborne. Well, you just got to admire that kind of perseverance!
And I do….in fact, one of my favorite scriptures in James
1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy,
my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the
testing of your faith develops PERSEVERANCE. Perseverance must finish its work
so that you may be mature and complete….not lacking anything.”
Yep, that big black bug reminded me that I never know from
day to day or moment to moment what trial or problem or persecution is headed
my way. I may be off to do my thing, minding my own business, when trouble
rears its ugly head; but God’s word tells me to count it all joy when those
trials come my way so that I can persevere and be COMPLETE….LACKING NOTHING!!!!
I trust that today you are ready to be tested and to be
found complete in the grace and love that our Heavenly Father bestows on each
of us. Be like that BIG BLACK BUG and don’t let a little water (or heartbreak
or disappointment or catastrophe) keep you from getting airborne and becoming
all that God has ordained for you to be.
If your not sure how to get that done, read the rest of
James 1…..there’s a lot of God’s instruction just waiting for you….Have a
Blessed Day as you persevere for the Father.
Blessed and Believing,
WPQ
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