One Halloween night, as a young pastor, I took a shortcut in Falls County down a dirt road. A recent rain had turned it into a muddy road. I slid off into a ditch and ended up burying my back tires in the soft mud. I walked up the dark road to the tune of owls hooting as I desperately searched for a light. My feet grew heavier with each step as mud collected on my shoes. Have you ever been stuck in the mud? Who helped you?
When Jeremiah touched his enemies’ last nerve, they asked permission to throw him into a cistern. Powerless, King Zedekiah gave them permission. There was no water in the cistern, but Jeremiah sank in the mud. Who would help him? The servant of the King, Ebed Melek, the Cushite. A man from Africa lowered ropes with soft rags to pad Jeremiah’s arms to keep him from being harmed as they lifted him out. Love pays attention to the details!
Coming up a hill, I saw a light in the distance. T. Hogg lived in the farmhouse on the hill. Looking like a character in the TV series Dukes of Hazzard, he told me he could help me with his tractor. T. belonged to my best friend’s church. With his tractor, T. towed my car out of the mud and helped me get on my way. The story made it through the community and met me at my church the following Sunday. How did I get out of the mud? To quote the old song, “Love lifted me. Love lifted me. When nothing else would do, love lifted me.” Lord bless the people who care for us!
