A Place at the Table - 17 - Dry Land

God, we thank You for saving our lives. That when we are in tight situations, when we cannot find a way out, You trench out a path with hope that we will leave our own ways for Yours. Anything we can manage is but a quick fix; Yours is a permanent resolve. You have made a direct path to You just like when You pulled back the sides of the sea so many years ago. We can’t build our way to You, though we are good at making bricks. We can’t suffer our way to You, although we are good at punishing ourselves and others. Your way is Jesus. May we lay our ways down on this side of the sea and step onto the dry ground that always leads to You. Amen.

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I love photographic accidents. As Seay talked about the Hebrews walking out of the parted Red Sea and onto dry land (and therefore safety and life), I was looking today for a contrast between water and dry land. A bit tough in a rather snow-covered season, but I saw it this afternoon as I saw the water on my driveway left from the snow that is (finally) starting to melt. So, I took a quick shot with my iphone and when I downloaded it, I was surprised to see what was resting right on the dividing line between wet and dry - a piece of a green branch - a sign of life and growth. A piece of an olive branch was what was brought to Noah and his family in the ark to tell them that dry land was appearing once again. Dry land was given to the Hebrews as they exited the sea. Flowers are symbols of the celebration that is upcoming of Easter. This single sprig of life - that which points the way from the waters of uncertainty, fear, brokenness, and hopelessness to the dry land of safety, life, and renewal.