When I was child of 8 years I was on the principal’s list, which meant my Mom would be contacted concerning my less than adult behavior. This meant I would get a beating, not whipping, but a real true black and blue beating. I decided to run away, again! I went to talk to a man up the road who had served our country in the Battle of the Bulge. He had an ear for us kids in the area. I talked with him telling him my tale of woe.
I explained the brutality awaiting me at home, and the other prospect if I ran away and got caught, I was sure they would send me to the state training school, a pseudonym for Reform School. The neighbor talked with me and after a while he said, “Larry, it looks to me like you’re between a rock and hard place.” Meaning whatever you do, you can’t win. That particular “rock and a hard place” was brought about by my own doing and neither consequence was at all inviting. I didn’t run away, and next day explained to the kids and teachers that I fell off of a horse while going under tree limbs.
Israel found themselves to be between a circumstantial “rock and hard place” right after the First Passover and the death angel swept throughout Egypt taking the life of the first born male of all species of life, including humans who failed to mark their doorways with the blood of the said Passover Lamb. Israel was moving out, at first Pharaoh was more than happy to be rid of them.
As the band of Israelites journeyed they realized that Pharaoh had called his army to duty and was coming after them. His army was behind them and the Red Sea in front of them. They were surrounded by insurmountable obstacles. This was a genuine “rock and a hard place” experience. Notice their outcry:
Exodus 14:10 “And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.”
I don’t know if their fear was more profound than mine at different times in my life, but I do know what “insurmountable obstacles” on every hand looks and feels like. I also know what it feels like, figuratively at least, to walk into a personal Red Sea without having the water rolled back, expecting to die, and experience the Lord working a miracle in a still full of water Red Sea, the miracle being a fruitful time of ministry with water’s slushing all around!
My lesson from our verse and from my own experience, with a fear behind and afore me, taught me to walk in the direction God was leading with courage and somehow have a calm feeling come over me assuring me Christ was near me through it all! He promised in Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly
For IT work click Oral Deckard
I explained the brutality awaiting me at home, and the other prospect if I ran away and got caught, I was sure they would send me to the state training school, a pseudonym for Reform School. The neighbor talked with me and after a while he said, “Larry, it looks to me like you’re between a rock and hard place.” Meaning whatever you do, you can’t win. That particular “rock and a hard place” was brought about by my own doing and neither consequence was at all inviting. I didn’t run away, and next day explained to the kids and teachers that I fell off of a horse while going under tree limbs.
Israel found themselves to be between a circumstantial “rock and hard place” right after the First Passover and the death angel swept throughout Egypt taking the life of the first born male of all species of life, including humans who failed to mark their doorways with the blood of the said Passover Lamb. Israel was moving out, at first Pharaoh was more than happy to be rid of them.
As the band of Israelites journeyed they realized that Pharaoh had called his army to duty and was coming after them. His army was behind them and the Red Sea in front of them. They were surrounded by insurmountable obstacles. This was a genuine “rock and a hard place” experience. Notice their outcry:
Exodus 14:10 “And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.”
I don’t know if their fear was more profound than mine at different times in my life, but I do know what “insurmountable obstacles” on every hand looks and feels like. I also know what it feels like, figuratively at least, to walk into a personal Red Sea without having the water rolled back, expecting to die, and experience the Lord working a miracle in a still full of water Red Sea, the miracle being a fruitful time of ministry with water’s slushing all around!
My lesson from our verse and from my own experience, with a fear behind and afore me, taught me to walk in the direction God was leading with courage and somehow have a calm feeling come over me assuring me Christ was near me through it all! He promised in Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly
For IT work click Oral Deckard
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