Psalm 66:9-12 “You, O God, laid burdens on our backs… and kept our feet from slipping… You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.”
Psalm 66 is a song of praise to God for saving his people from an enemy attack in which they obviously went through the mill together in a number of difficult circumstances.
In the state of Mississippi, there was a tribe of Indians many years ago who lived next to a swirling river. If anyone fell in, they usually drowned because of the irresistible current. But one day they found themselves attacked and cornered by a hostile group of settlers. Their only escape option was to attempt to cross the rushing river. They quickly identified the stronger and weaker ones, so that the strongest young men could carry the sick, the children and the elderly. As they waded out into the river, the strong carriers were relieved to discover that the added weight of those on their shoulders gave them greater stability so that they could keep their footing and make it safely across the river.
I remember doing a group hike in the mountains of North Carolina. I separated from the group and went ahead to investigate a river to see if we should cross at that point. I waded in, lost my footing, and was helplessly washed downstream with a soaking backpack. When the others came, they were able to hold onto and support each other in tight proximity and so avoid the same mistake.
Both examples show the strength of working together in a team to overcome whatever challenges might make us lose our footing. That is even more true when we team up with God! As our verse today states, we can hope to make it through “fire and water” to a “place of abundance.”
Are you wrestling against the current alone today?
Lord, help me find others to journey alongside. Amen!
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