Today, after the fog lifts, heavy dew covers every living, and non-living thing. An orb-weavers web, woven in perfect symmetry, is be-jeweled with dewdrops, each a tiny prism glinting in the rising sun. Each pine needle threatens to shed a tiny tear. Each blade of grass is damp. Dew pools and trickles down the granary’s metal roof. It sounds like a slow rain dripping into the puddles below.
Before the big flood, this was God’s preferred method of watering the earth. It must have been quite a conundrum for Noah. He was supposed to build an ark to prepare for a flood which would result from rain, which had never happened before. By faith, he spent 100+ years building the gargantuan cargo carrier, believing God was serious about sending this mysterious thing called rain.
All the while he worked, he was ridiculed by the very people he was trying to convince to come into the ark with him. Talk about tenacity! I have a hard time sticking with a project for several weeks. And ridicule makes me want to curl up in a ball and cry. In the infamous words of George McFly, “I’m not sure I could handle that kind of rejection.” (Back to the Future) I’m glad God, the animals and humankind weren’t counting on me to save the day. The story might have ended much differently.
I think the same thing when I watch the movie Amazing Grace. William Wilburforce spent most of his adult life fighting for the abolition of slavery in Great Britain. It cost him his health, which he willingly sacrificed to fulfill his God-ordained task. He died just three days after he’d won the battle. But what if he’d grown weary and quit fighting? Or what if he’d refused to take on the battle in the first place?
What if Abraham hadn’t been willing to sacrifice Isaac? What if Joseph hadn’t been faithful through trials? What if Moses hadn’t returned to Egypt to lead the Israelites out? What if Joshua and Caleb hadn’t believed they could take the land of Canaan? What if David hadn’t taken on Goliath? What if Joseph had decided against taking Mary and Jesus to Egypt for safety? What if Jesus hadn’t died on the cross?
In each plot climax, the protagonist had a choice to make. Will I obey God or will I disobey? As the storyline unfolds, it’s clear their obedience brought God’s favor not only on them, but on those near them, and sometimes on generations to come. Had any of them chosen disobedience, the story would read like a Shakespearean tragedy.
Joshua issued a challenge to the Israelite people as they entered Canaan. “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
The challenge is ours, as well. If we chose to serve the Lord, it’s not long before we realize it isn’t always an easy choice. Sometimes the tasks God assigns us seem overwhelming or impossible. We want to shrink away. But obeying and persevering are vital. Our choices may not change the course of history, but they’ll undoubtedly change the courses of our lives.
Obedience invites God’s blessings; on ourselves, our households, and even future generations. Disobedience can inadvertently turn an action adventure into a tragedy. But even then God shows His mercy. He rewrites our tragic stories with happy endings.
