Hurry, Get Out of That Pit!

Hurry, Get Out of That Pit!

    A few days ago, I was watching my son as he was in his gymnastics class. He had just finished swinging on the uneven bars when he plunged into a giant pit filled with 1 foot by 1 foot foam squares. As he struggled to get out, I watched as he used every muscle to manipulate his body to get through those crazy foam squares and to the side of this giant pit. As he was crawling out, he pulled with his arms, pushed with his legs, and even tried to use his head to help himself out. The coach was standing on the side counting, "1, 2, 3, hurry, hurry, 4, 5 . . . " I saw my son struggle and struggle and try to hurry to get to the side. When he finally made it, he looked up at me in the balcony of the gymnasium and just smiled. He had done it.

    One my way home that day, I was talking to my son about how difficult it was to get out of the foam pit. When I started talking about it, I realized and said, "Satan wants to keep us in a pit." My spirit leapt with joy inside me. I just kept talking to my son and telling him how Satan tries to use different things in our lives to keep us in these pits. He tries to put all of these obstacles, just like those foam squares, in our path to keep us from reaching the side. We struggle and use everything that is in us. We even put our heads down. Satan stands on the side and counts, "1. . . 2. . . 3. . ." But, we need to look up. God will help us get out of those pits. He coaches us and says, "Come on, my child! Just a few more steps! Now move this way and that way. Don't put your head down, keep your eyes on Me!" I wanted to shout right there in the car driving home.

    Our God is so amazing and so wonderful that He wants us to live victoriously in this life. Satan wants us to keep our heads down and struggle with what is going on around us. God says we should keep our eyes on Him. He is our Jehovah-Jirah –our Provider, Jehovah-Rophe – our Healer , Jehovah—Shammah – He is There. He will help us get through and get out of those pits in our lives if we keep our eyes on Him. I am reminded of an old hymn that says: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the Light of His Glory and Grace." Turn your eyes to Him today. Ask Him to help you out of that pit you are going through. Look up and see Him telling you to keep going. Brothers and Sisters, Our prize is not too far away!