Why "Dry" Ground?

Dry Ground – Post #1 –

In a drought, dry ground is a symbol of despair. But in a flood… dry ground is salvation.

The Book of Joshua in the Old Testament starts with a description of a desperate people, His Chosen Ones, the Israelites. They’ve been wandering in the wilderness for forty years and now stand on the banks of a flooded Jordan River. Can’t move forward, wouldn’t want to go back, still living on manna, that day-to-day “just enough” stuff. Life has been hard. They’ve survived, but they’ve also been promised a land flowing with milk and honey which they have seen none of yet.

If you read Joshua 1-3, you find out what happens. A miracle. At the perfect moment, God shows up. He doesn’t just show up, He goes ahead of them, clears the way, creates a bridge by walling up the flood waters, leaving absolute dry ground to walk across. These desperate people didn’t even get their sandals muddy.

Have you been there? In that place of desperation? Head barely above the waves, gasping for air?

I have.

It’s a long story that spans years. Among other things, my husband was out of a job for nine months. When I stood on the banks of our raging river, my journal read:

Okay, Lord, what now? Are we really supposed to be in the dark… still? I can’t even come up with words to describe how baffled I feel.

Part of me… no… most of me just wants to rant and rave because I’m so… I don’t know… tired… over it… upset… but the other part of me feels like all I can do is wait.

I feel like I’m beating my head up against a wall.

That entry is dated less than a year ago - Sept. 23, 2008. Several weeks passed after that before our river parted and we got to walk across a bridge. A miracle, a job and a move to Phoenix, AZ, literal dry ground with legendary significance to boot. Words can’t express the relief I felt. I could breathe again.

Whether you are in the wilderness or waiting on the riverbanks wondering how in the world you will get to the other side, remember God provides bridges.

Welcome to Dry Ground.