GET THEE UP

There was a time in Israel's history when they were soundly defeated by an inferior army and it is recorded that the "hearts of the people melted, and became as water". Their leader, Joshua, was also quite distraught. He "fell to the earth upon his face" and lamented, "Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!" (Joshua 7:5-7)

God's response was clear and decisive, "Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?"

Are we facing a trying experience? Do we have something to contend with? An illness? A financial problem? Difficulty finding work? A family upset? Whatever the trial or tribulation.....get thee up! A news report was covering a tragic fire where a family had just seen their house burn down. The husband said: "Well, the house is gone, but the foundation is still good. I will start to build again tomorrow."

Fortune or misfortune does not change men. It only unmasks them. What are we made of? Remember, a diamond is a chunk of coal that made good under pressure! Count it all joy. No running away. No feeling sorry for ourselves. Forget all the questionings, reasonings and speculations. Get thee up!

Our trial will either be a stepping-stone or a grindstone. A grindstone that, if we let it, will wear away our faith, courage, health and character and leave us discouraged, bitter and feeling hopeless. Feeling that we can't pray, can't witness and that we haven't got the answers.....Or a stepping-stone, upon which we can mount to greater faith, courage and a closer fellowship with God.

There is a story of a shoe salesman who was sent to an undeveloped country in Africa to start up the shoe business for his company. Almost immediately he sent a telegram back - "No possibility of doing business here. No one wears shoes." The company sent another salesman. In a few days they received a telegram - "Possibilities unlimited. No one has shoes. Expect a big order soon."

When Israel was spying out the promised land there were two opposite responses. The negative majority report: "And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:33) The encouraging minority report: "Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not." (Numbers 14:9)

Grindstone or stepping-stone? It all depends on our vision - how do we see it? Get thee up!

"I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me - I am ready for anything and equal to anything through him who infuses inner strength into me, that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency." (Philippians 4:13 Amplified Bible)