WHEN THE TIDE EBBS
Growing up along the coast, one of our favorite pastimes was crab catching. My friends and I went ghost crab hunting at the beach on Saturdays.
On the way, we fetched red sand in empty containers and on reaching the beach, we marked out our territories and got down to work. We poured the red soil in the holes of the crabs till they were filled then with our bare hands, we started digging. The red soil was a marker that differentiated the 'path' of the crab in the ground from the surrounding beach soul. So as we dug, we traced down till we got to the target.
The holes were usually deep and complex. They were more like a fortress and served as first line of defense and protection for the poor crustaceans. Their last line of defense, when we eventually got to them, was their big claw. A lot of tact was required to be able to tame and catch them. Often, in the process, they escaped towards the sea. They were smart, they did not go straight into the sea. They went close enough and planted themselves firmly on the ground as the tides swept over them, and they came up and kept moving as the tides ebbed.
And that was how the little creatures escaped to safety; by holding on firmly to the ground when the tides were high, and rising up and running when the tides receded.
"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit" Psalm 34:17-18
Yes, I've no idea how much you have cried out to the Lord in your down moments. I do not have a good appreciation of how long you've been looking for a stable job to keep body and soul together. I cannot fully understand how after many years of seeking and praying, you still haven't been able to bear a child in that marriage, and how much of a ridicule and chewing stick you've become to people around you. Yes, true I may not fully grasp the impact of the job loss occasioned by the banking sector shake up. The list is tall. You have prayed. You have fasted. You have done all the right things. God just no dey look your direction, no be so?
Just go back up and read Psalm 34:17-18 again. Those are not my words. The Lord HEARS and He DELIVERS.
Hold on to the grounds firmly. Trust Him one more time, especially when it's most difficult to do so. The tides will recede. Arise and keep moving.
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