New Beginnings

Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Judges 2:16

We have a long driveway, and so, when it snows, there’s a lot of snow to move. To address this, we recently acquired an old, mini tractor with a snowblower. I’ve never owned a tractor which means I have no idea what I’m doing and being 40 years old, the tractor has some quirks. For instance, there’s a protective cover over the PTO shaft, which came loose recently while I was blowing snow. I thought I could repair it quickly outside, but 10 minutes later, with freezing hands and no closer to a fix, I had to take the tractor into the garage. Still, I didn’t do it right but rather, tried to do it fast. I knew that to do it correctly, I should get the appropriate tools, take the whole assembly apart and start from the beginning. Instead, though, I went for the quick, easy fix. In the end, after several failed attempts, I got the right tools, took my time, and did the work required to fix it properly. I should have just started there, but I knew that to do it right was going to be a lot of work.

I see metaphor everywhere, and so, I saw my attempt at tractor fixing as a microcosm of my addiction. In the misery of my drug addiction, I understood that there was a path to recovery. I knew that I wanted a new beginning, and I knew God had provided a way out. But I also knew how much work that new beginning was going to be. So, I tried countless times to take the easy way. I don’t want to go to treatment. I’ll just quit on my own. In the end, I had to follow God’s way, and I did then get my glorious new beginning. I should have done it that way the first time, but it was a lot of work and so, I floundered for a long time, seeking the easy fix.

This is where the Israelites found themselves in today’s passage. In it, they wandered from God, experiencing painful consequences as God allowed their enemies to subjugate them. In their pain, God provided a way out, raising up leaders (Judges) who could save the Israelites from themselves. It wasn’t automatic though. God provided a path to salvation, but the people had to follow that path.

This is where a lot of us find ourselves. Facing a new year, we long for a new beginning. We want to start over, abandoning the old struggles. In our struggle, we know God has provided a way out, but we also know that’s going to be a lot of work. We’d rather God just miraculously remove our struggle, but God often asks us to put in the hard work of obedience, doing what it takes to abandon our way to follow his. Every day then, if we desire a new beginning, we must be willing to do whatever it takes to pursue it.