March 10, 2010

Today's reading: Joshua 15, 16, 17; Psalm 10, 40, 70, 100, 130

Joshua 15:16-17, "And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife."

Joshua 17:12-13, "Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out."

I remember growing up on the farm I would wander all over the property and do all kinds of things. Some of them were good and some of them were bad. I remember shaking up an old can of orange spray paint one time and shooting it with my bb gun. The results were colorful to say the least. The barrel of my bb gun had orange spots on it for a long time after that. Consequences.

I remember in the winter I was always looking for something to occupy my time. Many times I would find myself in the barn goofing off or just looking in cabinets. I would often play upstairs in the hay loft because it would be a little warmer up there. Sometimes a friend would come over and we would play out there together.

One game we loved to play was "King of the Mountain". I liked to play it; but, I was not good at it. I was always way overweight and it was hard for me to get to the top of whatever "mountain" we would use. Once I was at the top it usually took a little bit of nothing to bring me tumbling down to the bottom. Most of the time we played this game on the piles of frozen horse manure. We loved it.

My point today? Some people try and give up and they never really reach their full potential for God. I remember when we first started playing "King of the Mountain" I could not hardly climb to the top. As time went on it was a little bit easier and a little easier. I never quit. I just kept on trying and falling and trying and falling. Eventually I reached the top of the manure pile (I know this is a great accomplishment).

So friend, is there something in your life that you need to pick yourself up and try again? If there is I hope you will try and try until you make it. Victory is so sweet. Can you taste it?