originally posted on June 29, 2005

Pastor David Jeremiah says "You cannot sow and reap in the same season."

Wise words. I'm an impatient person and want everything now. But that's not the way it works. First you sow, then you reap. You cannot plant fruit and eat it in the same season.

This is my season to sow. Sure, I have plenty to offer and talk about, and between Capture & house group I hope I have enough to give. But this season I am going deeper and deeper into my past, my emotional and physical health and the rhythms of life. Last summer I was a vivacious student of the Word, and I'm still reaping fruit from that time. This summer I appear to be in a season of introspection and finding out who God made me to be.

God lifts us up out of the mud and mire, but maybe there's another lesson in Psalm 40. Maybe there are times God invites us to go deeper into the mire - the junk from our past, the pain and hurt of now - and promises us that He will lift us out and give us firm ground to stand on. We can feel safe swimming into deeper waters knowing that He has a floater to throw us if we get too far out and can no longer swim. And, we can feel safe examining the mud and mire because He promises us that the time is coming when He will lift us out.

Being lifted out of the mud and mire isn't a one-time-experience. That verse speaks to me of salvation for eternity, but also daily salvation today. God wants us to be free now, and in order to do so, He's got to pull us completely out of the mire. I don't know about you, but my whole world is mire some days. Puddles of deep, slimy mud all over the place.

He's a God who breathes air into dirt and creates life. Maybe the solid ground He promises us is actually formed out of the mud and mire.

Labels: Jesus