Roller Coaster
I was blessed to sit in Adam’s Sunday morning Bible class this week where he began leading a study of Ruth. This great book is set during the time of the Judges. As part of our discussion, he mentioned the idea of a roller coaster with the ups and downs during the days (years) of the judges in Israel. I would like to expand that thought a bit and then make application to our lives.
Any good roller coaster rider knows that in between the super highs and low lows, are times that are essential to make those occur. The good old-fashioned coasters are the best with the buildup of the chain slowly pulling you to the top of the highest hills. When you reach the top of that hill, once the last car clears the chain, the fall down to the bottom happens quickly. There may be some jerking around corners on the way down, but you hit the low a lot faster than the time it took you to climb to the top.
As you read the pattern in Judges, I believe we see something similar. Judges 2:17b reads, “They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so.” Notice the word “quickly” in this verse, then spend some time looking at the pattern on repeat. In chapter 3 alone, a careful reading will show you that when a judge died (the last car of the train slips free from the chain), the people fell into sin quickly. When God raised the next judge, you see that he must lead the people in a war or battle or some other time-consuming effort to make it back to the top again.
How often do we make mistakes – sin – in our lives and as soon as we realize it and repent, we want everything to be okay again? It doesn’t always work that way. Yes, we are forgiven, but some consequences last and take effort to right. Sometimes it takes the tension-filled grind of work to make it back up to the top of the hill.
Thank God, that He helps us when we are willing to do the work to make it back to the top. Let’s not cheapen that effort by simply plunging back down. Let’s enjoy the view from the top, and with God’s help, let’s stay there!
“It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and it shall be lifted up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it…” Micah 4:1
AUTHOR: Amber Tatum
