“We trust in the God who always works things out for our
good." ~ Romans 8:28
Toby’s forehead was covered in
sweat as the sun beat down on him and his little brother Zeke. They were
already exhausted and they’d only been digging for less than an hour. He stretched his arms and yawned. “This dirt’s tougher than I thought,” he said
to no one in particular.
Sweat pants drooping sloppily around his hips, Zeke yanked
them up before sitting down and grabbing a juice box. “You think we’ll ever get there,” he
questioned. “To the other side of the
world, I mean?
Sitting on the edge of the slight dent, (he couldn’t really
call it a hole yet), Toby checked his watch.
His back was already sore from all the digging but he knew it’d be worth
it. “We’ll get there,” he asserted. “We just need to keep at it.”
As they continued working, two older teens approached and
asked what they were up to.
“We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!" Zeke
volunteered.
“That’s impossible,” the older boy laughed. “Heated by friction and the decay of
radioactive material, the earth’s core still sheds heat from its initial
formation 4.5 billion years ago,” said the somewhat egotistical science
nerd. “The planet’s center is blisteringly
hot.”
Not to be dissuaded, Toby didn’t look up. He stopped before plunging the shovel into
the fresh soil again. A fat, brown
earthworm cracked his way into the air, twitching in the strong afternoon
sunlight. Toby reached down and gently
placed the worm in a nearby jar.
The older girl pushed her glasses up, magnifying
chocolate-colored eyes, before she spoke.
“Besides, the diameter of the earth is roughly 12,750 kilometers,” she
added condescendingly. “That’s almost
7,000 miles for you metrically-challenged children.”
After a long silence, Toby reached again for the jar full of
spiders, worms and a wide assortment of insects. He removed the lid and showed its magnificent
contents to the scoffing visitors.
Then he said self-assuredly, "Even if we don't dig all
the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!"
Sure, their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause
them to act. And that’s what a goal is
for - to cause us to move in the direction we’ve chosen. In other words, to dig in!
Not every goal will be achieved. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every job will end successfully. Not every love will last. Not every dream will be realized.
But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say,
"Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which came into
my life because I tried!”
Lord Jesus, every frustration reminds us
that this is not our home. We long for a
better life, where there are no more tears, disappointments, sorrows or
suffering. A life that You faithfully
promised us when we believe in You. Count
me in! Amen
