Roaring storms, falling trees, erosion, wayward cattle—unexpected weather and unwanted creatures can damage fields and waterways.
Life seasons also can muddy our waters. Streams become murky and ponds get filled with sludge when we travel through tough circumstances or temptations. A little like ‘the pond on the main lawn’ at Ffald y Brenin, which still looked more like a swamp just a few weeks ago.
The Lord said to Pharaoh:
“‘You have compared yourself to a young lion among the nations,
But you are like a monster in the seas;
You burst into your rivers
And disturbed and muddied the waters with your feet
And fouled their rivers [the source of their prosperity].’”
(Ezekiel 32:2 AMP)
The Lord also gave a promise for those downstream:
“‘Then I will make their waters quiet and clear;
I will make their rivers run [slowly and smoothly] like oil.’”
(Ezekiel 32:14 AMP)
I had been looking at that pond with dread since I started my work as a gardener at Ffald y Brenin. Walking past, I often breathed out a little prayer: “Lord, that pond really needs to be dug out. But I don’t feel up for the job.”
We talked about it, went through plans and ideas, and made lists of the things needed. I heard the stories from the past, dipping my motivation even lower. To me, these conversations didn’t carry a real promise that the job would actually get done.
Then the summer felt Mediterranean. Dry, sunny and hot, week after week. The stream dried up, the waterfall turned into a dry wall, the pond got lower and lower, and the team decided: now was the time.
To my surprise, everything was ready! We had a tarp to cover the edges of the pond, plastic snow shovels that wouldn’t hurt the liner, and a willing team with a plan. Sure, the plan evolved during the job, but at least in theory we knew what we were doing!
John waded almost knee-deep in mud the consistency of cow pat. Tonya and Chris filled numerous wheelbarrows, and I threw away my rule book and descended into the out-of-bounds water lily.
I mean, lift the water lily up as the books would say? All two tons of it? Don’t think so!
My arms were covered up to the shoulders.
The amazing thing is—it was fun! The kind of fun a child has when they’re given permission to get as messy as they want.
Not only that: the farmer next door received a water lily for his pond, and the muck will, with time, be transformed into fertile compost, useful in the flower beds.
The Lord is an amazing God. He knows the after-effects of the storms we live through—the fear, tiredness, and even desperation we feel when we look at our muddied waters.
He doesn’t leave us with the impossible job of digging out the wet sludge on our own. Instead, He prepares the way and turns our mess into a blessing, not only for us, but also others.
He is faithful to His promise.
“He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still and quiet waters.”
(Psalm 23:2 AMP
