August 12th
Between the Two Mountains
In life one gets pushed around...especially (literally) if walking in a crowded mall or store. The press of the people can be great. At an airport I found myself being moved in a direction that I did not choose. I had to, by force, cut away from the people.
Sometimes in driving one can be "hemmed in", but ultimately one gets through it all to the destination. What I call these encouragers is conflict! Life is so filled. You may be going through a conflict right now. My word is to have faith that you will pass through it to victory.
Some examples? Well, take Jonathan and his armor-bearer, marching against the Philistines. They had to pass between two rocks. One called "Bozez" ("dirty) and the other "Seneh" (meaning thorny, a hard passage). But they went on through and gained victory. Then there were the Israelites who were between two mountains and the Red Sea before them - yet they went on to victory. They later had to go through bitter waters of Mariah before they could taste the milk and honey. There is a bitter cup that we must partake if we are going to enjoy the cup of pleasure.
The bottom line is conflict is not always negative. It can, indeed, be positive as mentioned above. One wrote, "There is but one way, one door, one passage, to heaven, and that a straight one, through which we pass with much pressure and tugging; having our superfluous rags torn off from us in the crowd of this world."
It is like these things shape us. As we pass through the valley of - let's say "two mountains of difficulty or conflict" we are shaped. It is much like passing clay through a mold or cake dough into a mold - a shape is formed. Paul put it this way (2 Cor 3:18)
"...We reflect the Lord's glory (and) are being transformed (changed) into his likeness with ever increasing glory."My prayer for you:
I ask, Lord, that this one see the good that come out of conflict. May they accept it as having passed through your hand to them. Also may they know of their passage through it in the name of Jesus.
Amen