At the Foot of the Tree

Tis the season for pollen, rain, and lawn mowing. Instead of cleaning my house today (again), I found myself needing to mow the yard. I am very grateful for our riding mower, but it isn't working so I called a friend to borrow his. With all the rain, it's looking pretty wild. With more rain in the forecast, I decided I better do what I can while I can. I was working on the left hand side of the front yard. It isn't exactly a rectangle- more of a five-sided polygon. As I had made a few rounds, I found myself getting exhausted. This is probably due to the fact that I'm just paying the gym to help out on their light bill, and not actually finding the time to go and help myself.

We have two magnolia trees in the middle of our front yard, and as I kept on my little path, I found myself thinking, "If I can just make it to the tree, I will be ok." When I came upon the right-hand side of the tree, my path veered off further to the right - that fifth side of the polygon. Then, coming on around to the other side, the more I mowed, the closer I would get to the tree. 

I began to relate this to my life. When I know that I am closer to the tree, or the cross, I have the strength to go on. But then, I come upon that right side again, and it takes me on a path of my own choosing that leads me away from the cross. Over, and over again, this is the case. I choose to go that way, when I could just stay in a straight-lined road that continually only draws me nearer to the cross. 
It's not a perfect road. I can look behind and see where I swerved some, came upon some bumps and sticks in the road, but I am constantly getting closer and closer to the tree.

By the time I did finish mowing that section, had I stayed on the straight path, my end would have come right up to the foot of the tree. Still, I did finish there, under the shade of that which had been my focus and goal.
When I came in the house- hot, tired, worn and weary- at first I felt sick at my stomach. I opened the cabinet and pulled out the garbage can, then went down to my knees, feeling like I was going to get sick. The moment passed, and then I got a drink of water to quench the thirst. 

When we finally come face to face with the cross, several things happen. At first, we may feel comfort and rest, knowing that peace is there. But then, as we  stop there in its shadow, we feel the effects that exhaustion brings because we stepped out of the straight path that God had for us, which led us down a way He did not intend for us to go. We can be led back around to the cross where our sin-sickness causes us to come to our knees, and we thirst for a taste of Living Water.

Oh, may I only desire to drink from the Fountain of Living Water.
Oh, may I ever be sick over my sin.
Oh, may I always long to be at the foot of the tree.