Jammed up

On either side of this pile of tree debris, a mountain river danced over rocks. The conglomeration, however, had disrupted flow so much that the river seriously eroded the bank close to the area’s highway. Wildfires visit this area yearly, meaning dead trees that could add to fire danger must be felled and removed. I wondered if floods and landslides had dumped some of these into the river where they locked and created a jam.

The Old Testament’s King David didn’t enjoy forests like those where I live in central Washington, but he apparently had some experience with hard rains and flash floods. In Psalm 124, he reflects on a close call with his enemies, comparing it to a violent water event:

If the Lord had not been on our side when men attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. (124:2-5)

The actual crisis is left undescribed. With enemies ready to pounce and destroy, David’s warriors might have run out of food or weapons. Maybe they were considerably outnumbered. Somehow, in this impossible situation, they escaped a devastating battle. And David gave glory to God:

Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. (v. 8)

 In presenting Christ to non-believers, we rightly emphasize the love of God and His wonderful plan for our lives. But our walk as Christians requires combat boots. Satan is always about, wanting to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). For now, the stage for life is a broken earth, not a perfect heaven. We’re people “in process” under God’s wise instruction.  Paul Billheimer, whose book Don’t Waste Your Sorrows (CLC/Bethany, 1977, p. 44) considers the role of trials, observed:

If God’s net purpose in saving an individual is just to get him to heaven, He would probably take him to glory immediately.  But God wants to prepare him for rulership in an infinite universe that demands character.  Progress in sanctification, in the development of God-like character and agape love, is impossible without tribulation and chastisement.

 So yes, in our life’s journey, we’ll likely encounter stubborn, clogging logjams disguised as difficult circumstances and problem people. They’re not there to stop us, but to remind us that “our help is in the name of the LORD!”