Donkey & Dirt...Huh?

I'm sure (or rather hope) you've all read the forward email about the donkey who fell into the hole. His owner, a farmer, called all his neighbors to help him get the donkey out of the hole. They tried and tried to no avail. So the farmer decided to fill in the hole with dirt. Shovel by shovel, the dirt would fall into the hole. As it hit the donkey, he shook it off his back. This continued day after day. He was hit with dirt and he shook it off. The dirt he shook off would land under his feet and it would provide elevation for him to rise higher and higher within the hole. Before he knew it, the donkey had shook off the dirt and raised himself out of the hole with the same dirt that seemed to be burying him.

Let's look at what is being said here. First, the farmer and his neighbor's could not see past the impossibility of not being able to get the donkey out. In their human mind set they saw it as hopeless and futile to try any further. What they saw as impossible, God saw as an opportunity. They gave up because their mind could not comprehend a possible solution, a way out of the hole for the donkey. They lacked a vision to see a way to save the donkey. They lacked faith and trust. But even still God used the impossible situation for the good of the donkey. You know I like to quote my pastor with his words "impossible odds lead to amazing miracles."

What is impossible with men is possible with God. Luke 18:27

For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matt. 19:26

With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God. Mark 10:27

We can look further and see that the dirt represents the attacks that Satan (and life) throws at us. We must be willing to shake off the the dirt like the donkey did and use that dirt to elevate ourselves out of the hole, the pit. What Satan means for our harm (the dirt) God uses for our good (getting us out of the hole). But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Mark 8:33 Did you see WHO Jesus called Satan? Yes, indeed, Satan does use God's own people, our people. Peter was one of His own, of course we know the road Peter traveled. Wow...to have Jesus rebuke one of His own. Notice in the above scripture that Peter's mind frame was of this world, of flesh, and of men. It was not on things of GOD! That goes right back to the perspective that men (people) can fall trap to having no vision, no vision of God and what God can do but rather we can be focused on this world and what seems possible in this world.

There are attacks of Satan and of this world that are not that easy to shake off. Satan disguises himself and we are in a spiritual warfare. It is not a matter of shake 1-2, 1-2 and it's gone. Sometimes the dirt is thrown on us and then water (more junk) may be add. It is much harder to shake off "mud" than dirt. We may have to allow that mud to dry back to the form of dirt. We may even be knocked around a couple times but again this is good because it will crack that hardened mud. By no means do I believe life is as easy as just shaking it off. It's not always as easy as telling my little niece who falls and bumps her knees to "shake it off, shake it off." And she so sweetly shakes her little body. Some things, yes, but not all things. Sometimes it takes more effort, more shakes to remove that dirt. In the end, with our God, we will have the same result...He will use the bad Satan intended for us to elevate us and raise us out of the hole.

It may seem as though I am saying we pull ourselves out of the pit. No, indeed, God allows the dirt so that we can be raised out of the pit. I do not believe that everything that happens in this life is God's will nor do I believe that He expects us to sit waiting for Him to wave His magic wand. Yes, many times in life we are called to be silent and wait upon Him. Yet, if we continually live our life just waiting on God and not being "in tune" with Him, we WILL miss opportunities He's calling us to act. There are indeed times, that He calls us to be silent and wait and there are times He calls us to move and act. We must always be open and listening to God so that we don't miss that window of opportunity He provides. A friend recently shared that God laid before her a child not breathing. Had she not been "in tune" to hearing God, had she not been ready to act, that little girl would've died. It is a false misconception that do nothing and wait upon the Lord. He is not a puppeteer. We are to follow and act. When He says go, we go. The key is being in constant fellowship with God so that we clearly know when He gives the green light and when He gives the red. Our lives are not filled with red lights.

Do you see pattern with the donkey and our God? Whatever bad hits us is turned to good for those who love Jesus (Romans 8:28). We get dirt thrown on us. God uses that as our elevation. We get mud on us and we get knocked around. God uses that to crack off the mud. We get thrown in the pit, the hole, God raises us up!

This is the glorious and shall I say it - awesome - God we serve. I am reserved in when I use that word. I restrict my use of the word awesome to ONLY reference God or His acts. Nothing else deserves the reverence of being called awesome except for Him. I guess that's something a friend told me long ago and it has forever stuck with me...like a pet peeve.

To God be all the glory for it is only through Him and Him alone that He can and DOES turn our impossible situations into amazing miracles. It is with Him that all things ARE possible. All things are possible with God." Mark 10:27

Having felt the attacks of this world and Satan, I too, am determined just like that donkey, to do my part and shake off what Satan throws at me. I am not out of the hole, but boy, I know Who is enabling me to stand on the dirt Satan and the world throws and I know what waits for me on the top of the hole.

Jesus is awesome! Absolutely awesome. I had no idea that I would be able to write a post so full of praise so recent of feeling like I was once again thrown into the hole with the donkey and not shovels but barrels of dirt just pounding on me. I wondered how many days before I took a breath of fresh air. Do the events of recent days still bother me? Yeah, they tug at my heart with a twinge of pain but I must remain focused on my Lord and that He IS sufficient for me. I KNOW that wonderful things are in store for me and my future. I trust Him and I believe in Him but I also believe Him and what He's placed on my heart.

Be Blessed Dear Ones,