“I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in.” (Joshua 14:11 NASB)
Let me deviate for a moment. Do you remember back in your school days when you had a pop quiz given by the teacher without notice? It was not a planned or pre-announced quiz, but I am assuming the teacher wanted to do a self-assessment, a self-check, “Did I teach the subject good enough to ensure the students learned what I was teaching?” Do your recall that the scores on pop quizzes were all over the board on every place on the famous bell curve? Some students easily passed the quiz with flying colors. Others did okay, but it was evident that there was room for improvement. A good number of the students, at times, did not pass the quiz. You know how there was that one student who was so disgruntled and frustrated that he confronted the teacher saying, “You probably could not have passed this pop-quiz!” The teacher responded, “I don’t have to take the quiz! You do!”
Now I will get to where I started going in the first paragraph. I must have named at least twenty-five figurative mountains that God’s people could possibly face during life. I told the listening congregation that no matter what the “mountain” was, they needed to take Caleb’s words and make them their own words, “I’m still strong.”
To show you that unlike the teacher who did not have to take the pop quiz, know that the person preaching the word does indeed have to take the quiz. The preacher has to live out the words that he preached. And at times, he will have to take the quiz. No, that’s not right. He will always have to take the quiz too. Being honest, it is more than a pop quiz, it is a test to reinforce that we are not excused from applying the awesome words sent by the Almighty. That’s exactly what happened to me yesterday, Monday morning.
It rained constantly, considerably strong all night. I got up early to send out the daily meditation, pray for the saints and others, and post the blog. I had an appointment at the hospital to have a scan of my kidneys. I’m just being transparent. The technician saw me fifteen minutes earlier than my appointment. I had plans of to buy some home décor items on the way home. But before I left the hospital, I called my wife to see if any water had gotten in the lower level of our split-level home. She broke the news , describing how far the water had covered one room. I informed her that I was going to stop and pick up some drying towels so I would be equipped to clean up the water. Listen, the clean-up was no “pop quiz.” It was a “test!” I can only guess how much water I had to remove by multiplying the number of times I filled and emptied the wet vac by the gallons of water capacity of the vac. My friend, it was not a pop quiz, too big for a test in my opinion, but it was definitely the next mountain that I had to overcome. So with every emptying , I recited the motto, “I’m still strong.” I added, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” I stayed with my effort, with some occasional breaks for rest.
Don’t miss the point! Preacher, teachers, and layperson witnesses will have to take the test of the sermon or the lesson or the word sent from above. And listen, parents who must teach their children how to live right, teach them that the Lord, God is one, must also realize that teaching is not enough! They must live what they teach!
Whether you are a member of my church or not, remember three things. First, we will have pop quizzes to pass, tests to master, and mountains to climb! We are not exempt. Second, whatever your mountain may be, minute or monumental, apply the word of God that you have been made aware of and continue to climb tirelessly, by faith. Pray for others to have enough faith to still be strong too. Definitely pray for me, but do me a favor. Don’t pray for a monsoon anytime soon! Smile! Enjoy your Tuesday! Oh about my lower level! I had some help! Read the closing verse! Be blessed!
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2 KJV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King