Puddle Jumping

The other day on my way to work I saw a goose standing in ankle-deep water in a drainage ditch along the side of the road. Now, I don’t know if geese actually have ankles, but I think you get what I’m saying.

This particular morning was unseasonably warm, and I’m sure this goose was looking for a little relief for his (her?) tired feet. That shallow water was convenient. It was close by. It was cool. It met his needs in the moment.

However, that little bit of water wasn’t going to last long. It had rained quite a bit the night before, so there was more water in the ditch than usual. Normally that piece of land is bone dry. This was not a place to set up house and raise a family. It wasn’t the safest place, after all.

If he had kept going less than a mile in either direction, he would have come across much larger and more sustainable bodies of water; the Erie Canal to the south, and a large pond to the north. But he didn’t. He settled in the moment for what seemed good at the time.

Have you ever done that? Settled for something that will give you temporary peace, or relief, or feel-good moments? Sometimes we choose what is easy or convenient instead of what is best.

Perhaps the Lord is trying to lead you to deeper, more sustainable waters, but you’ve been jumping into every puddle along the way instead, trying to convince yourself that it’s enough.

Or maybe you’re jumping back into puddles you used to go to for relief or comfort instead of going just a little further and seeking true relief from the Lord.

When you travel alone, it can be hard to know when to stop, and when to keep going. If you’re anything like me, you need nudges to keep going on the path and not settle for the temporal.

What is best for us isn’t always easy.

So, I encourage you to find people who will help you get to deeper water where you can set up house and raise your family, and find relief for the long haul.

No more puddle jumping for me!

1 Timothy 6:6; Psalm 16:11; John 6:35; Jeremiah 31:25