But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
Job 16:5 (NIV)
Stomping Ground by Cathy Vinson |
Muffy Crosswire is a name known across a
number of households. She is the rich, spoiled playmate of PBS' Arthur. She resembles the
few in a position of life where stomping their feet in protest still may affect their
reality. "At home" still gives us plenty of room and leverage to stomp our feet. It is ironic mercy that pulls out the rug from underneath us and removes us from the plot of flooring for stomping, from being "at home" as Jonah. It takes us to the place where stomping will not exclude us from happenings. Over the years of seeing stomping's ineffectiveness we begin to learn. When the rug is being literally pulled out from under our feet, do we give up all flooring or do we shimmy to that last 12 by 12 inch piece of tile? It will be reserved for the right to stomp our foot just in case. And what will we call out from that last crowded foothold "I can't, I can't! or "I won't, I won't."? Does God yield to that cry? Where the care of others is concerned, for our good, He will not relent. He resisted Jonah. He will allow US to lose our securities in order to act out His compassion. But why is this laid on ME? Why are we the scapegoat? "Do you have the right to be angry?" asks God of Jonah (vs 4:9). "Well, yes, I still have reserved this tile of flooring for this right of mine to protest and stomp my foot." Bicker as we may, it is to our benefit that there is no relenting to our protesting. God offers us more spiritual blessing than we would even want for ourselves. We'd be totally happy to be off the hook for the ease that temporarily would be granted. "Do we do well to be angry?" (KJV) In the wisdom of God, we have not tended or made to grow what He cares about. God has done it all. He has given us this privilege of caring within His compassion. No He did not cower to our stomping. His love explains to our folded arms..."(Ninevah) has...people who do not know their right hand from their left...Should not I be concerned about their great city?" (vs 11). We will leave our tile in exchange for the enormous roaming opportunity of God's compassion. |
|
| "Isn't this what I said while I was still at home?" (Jonah 4:2)
|
||
|
Send a note to Cathy Vinson , the writer of this devotion.
Other Whispers from the Wilderness Devotions are found HERE
Return to the Daily Miscellany