Released by the Rev. J. Pete Hyde …
Good morning;
The task lies before him. He stands, leaning on a shovel looking down at the foe before him – a stump from a large old shrub that has long since passed its beauty and usefulness. He had been putting off this chore for a while, but today was the day. “Should only take few minutes,” he said to himself knowing all the while that he was lying to himself.
The shovel is wielded into dirt near the old stump with great force and expectation. The point of the blade breaks the soil and travels about an inch before hitting an impenetrable object. “That’s OK, I’ll just move around to another spot.” He moves six inches around the stump. Shovel is forced into ground. Progress is made. Two inches this time. He puts his foot on the shovel and pushes with the strength of his leg. Nothing budges except the pain in the quad muscle he just pulled. Another six inches to the left – same result. As his frustration mounts the force on the shovel increases as he moves around the now cursed stump. He finally tosses the shovel down and thinks about a solution.
He marches into the garage and tool chest and pulls out the saws-all. Time to get serious. The thirty-minute job was now past an hour. Blade is inserted in the saws-all. He gets down on his knees (may he should have done that first lol) and forces the blade deep in the soil and begins the grueling task of working his way around the stump cutting as many roots as he could find. One lap around the stump leaves him breathing heavily and wishing he could just quit. But the job had to be finished.
He grunts and groans onto his feet, picks up the shovel and begins another lap prying and pushing as the stump loosens its grip on the ground. Alternating between the saw and the shovel, uncounted laps are made around the stump as it finally breaks loose. He slings the shovel to the ground, reaches for the stubs of branches to pull it our of the ground. “Oh my gosh, it must weight 200 pounds.” Straining under the weight and already sore muscles, he moves the stump to the pile for pick up. He stands leaning on the shovel satisfied that the job is finished.
There are times in our lives when we labor, toil, struggle, sweat, cry, scream and shake our fists at our perceived enemies and even God. Life, even the Christian life, is not free of struggles and burdens. If anyone ever told that life was going to be easier once you became a Christian, they was lying to you. The labor and struggles and burdens will still confront us with a vengeance.
But there is hope. There is a promise. God is walking with us through those struggles and burdens. His presence gives us comfort. He lifts us up on eagle’s wings even when we don’t recognize it. Jesus says: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Whatever struggles or burden you are facing today know that God is with you. Whatever “stump” is standing in front of you today, know that no matter how hard it might be to remove it, God is with you.
He grabs a bottle of water, pulls out a lawn chair and sits in the driveway. The cool sea breeze cools his body and refreshes his soul. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Rev. J. Pete Hyde, Senior Pastor
Santa Rosa Beach Community Church
850-267-2599; srbcc.com