“I waited patiently for the Lord,
and He turned to me and heard my cry for help.
He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.”
- Psalm 40:2 HCSB
Around here, mud has a way of humbling everybody.
I’ve watched big shiny trucks, old farm trucks, tractors, and even four-wheel drives with tires taller than me get themselves buried right down to the axles in that muddy low area by the creek.
Funny thing is, it usually starts with somebody saying, “I think it’ll make it.”
It rarely does.
Then comes the spinning tires.
Then the flying mud.
Then some nervous laughter.
Then the silence.
Finally somebody cries out, “Go get someone to pull us out!”
Now me?
I’ve got four-wheel drive built right in.
Sure, I may leave muddy paw prints on the porch that my human pretends not to notice, but I usually make it through.
Still, I’ve learned that mud doesn’t care how expensive your truck is or how confident your grin is.
Sooner or later, everybody gets stuck.
My human says life is a little like that.
Sometimes we wander where we shouldn’t.
Sometimes we think we’re strong enough to handle temptation.
Sometimes we figure, “Just this once.”
Then the tires spin.
The deeper we dig, the harder it is to get out.
I’ve seen what happens next. Folks stop spinning their wheels and call somebody. Before long, another truck comes, somebody unrolls a tow strap that’s seen better days, a little advice gets shared, a little teasing gets handed out for free, and with a slow tug, the stuck truck comes back onto solid ground.
Nobody brags much after they’ve been pulled out.
They’re just thankful.
That’s what reminds my human of Jesus.
Sin is sticky like Tennessee clay after a week of rain. The more we struggle on our own, the deeper we sink.
But Jesus doesn’t stand on dry ground shaking His head. He steps into our mess, hooks us to His grace, and pulls us where we could never get by ourselves.
The best drivers around here have learned something important...
If the ground looks questionable, it’s wiser to stay on the high road than spend the afternoon looking for a tow strap.
Seems Christians could learn from that too.
Avoid the places where sin likes to trap us.
Stay close to the Lord.
And if you do find yourself stuck, don’t keep spinning your wheels.
Call on the One who has never failed to rescue those who trust Him.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I spotted another muddy low area.
My human says, “Don’t you dare.”
I’m thinking about it.
Thankfully, grace works on muddy dogs… and muddy people too.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for pulling us from the mud of sin when we could never free ourselves. Help us walk on the firm ground of Your Word, trust You before we get stuck, and never forget the joy of being rescued by Your grace. Amen.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
