Coming to the end of our rope.

The old barn on our farm was built in the late 1800s and was used for farming till about 2015. It still holds some machinery and other things. What I remember about this magnificent structure was the rope sheave chained to the roof. The sheave (pulley) was used with the old hay forks back when hay lofts were filled with loose hay. That practice would have been way before my time. All I remember about haymaking was the hay bales that were are long as I was tall!

The sheave, no longer used for hay had become an amusement for me. A rope had been run through it and secured. The large hemp rope became a swing and the rope with knot tied at the end was a source of fun that would last for hours. Without the knot at the bottom, there was no real way to swing on the rope. Holding onto the rope for any amount of time would have required leather gloves and incredible strength.

Life can be that way sometimes. What was once is no longer; then becomes something new in which to experience that which never was before. Whoa, just got dizzy with the last sentence. Think about it for a second. The working sheave had once been used for loose hay, then it hung in the barn for years doing nothing but gathering dust. Then the rope was inserted into it and a knot tied at the bottom to turn a tool into a toy.

When we come to the end of our rope, we can do several things:

*We can try to hang on and hope to survive. Eventually, we'll lose strength and fall off.

*We can tie a knot at the end of it and hang on. Surviving, while an option, isn't the best use of the rope.

*We can tie that knot and enjoy the ride. Thriving in a difficult situation implies our understanding of God's provision even when life seems to stink to high heavens. Here is what I know according to holy scripture.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10, NIV)

Life is difficult, but God is good and I know the rope that we are clinging to has a knot at the bottom of it to give us a place to stand. God promises us this much and Jesus ratified God's goodness in John 10:10.

“But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me

all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may

have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

(John 16:32-33, NIV)

Even if and especially when life goes from glory to gooey, Jesus is right there fulfilling his promise to us. That my friends is the proverbial knot in the end of the rope. We can look to God in our greatest time of need and we'll never be disappointed. Ever. Never. Forever.

Are you experiencing a rope swing season? Is your grip slipping? Are you hanging on for dear life? Are you surviving in hopes of a safety net to appear? Or, are you screaming at the top of your lungs, "Weeeeeeeeeee!!!!" and trusting that God wants us to experience abundant life? Life,while filled with struggle, also contains one who has overcome the struggle and he is Jesus!