Bootstraps and Fences!

Listen to this blog.

Judah was left defenseless. At that time you trusted in the weapons you had stored in Forest Palace. You saw the holes in the outer wall of Jerusalem, and you brought water from the lower pool. You counted the houses in Jerusalem and tore down some of them, so you could get stones to repair the city wall. Then you built a large tank between the walls to store the water. But you refused to trust the God who planned this long ago and made it happen.

 

When all of this happened,
the Lord All-Powerful told you to weep and mourn,
to shave your heads,
and wear sackcloth.

But instead, you celebrated by feasting on beef and lamb
and by drinking wine,
because you said,
“Let’s eat and drink!
Tomorrow we may die.”

Isaiah 22:8-13

When a community experiences disaster the usual response from the mayor, governor, or even the President of that country is to declare "how strong we are and that we will overcome this tragedy". It always makes me sad because those people lose one more opportunity to turn their hearts to God! When we are brought low by pain, suffering or sorrow it is time to look to the only One on High who can lift us from the despair of life.

If that is where you are right now, the world around you is telling you to be strong and trust that things will get better. They are telling you to eat and drink and work to make a better life for you and those around you. The old saying is "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps." But it will not work. Try lifting yourself off of the ground by pulling on your feet! How silly is that? Only a man who has lost touch with reality would pull on his boots to try and jump over a fence.

There is only One Way to hurdle the obstacles in your life today. That Way has nothing to do with your education, money or talent and ability. The only Way is Jesus Christ. If you are resting in the arms of Jesus, the disasters may come and the waves may sweep you away, but in the end you will be safely lifted to Heaven.

The blessing of God is for those who turn to Him in times of great stress. It is not for those who trust in their own strength to get through it.

If your life is being swept away by one tsunami after another, then cry out to God. God will either calm the storm or carry you safely through it. Oh yes, you may die in the process, but as it stands right now, that is the only way to get to Heaven!