Like a fish in shallow water

Yesterday I took a hike with my husband at Glen Helen Nature Preserve.  It was a beautiful day for a hike.  The rocks, trees, the birds and the breeze: just what we needed.

At one point we walked across a bridge and paused in the middle to look over the stream beneath.  The first thing I noticed was a large fish swimming just below the bridge.  I pointed it out to Jason, who quickly pointed out FIVE OTHERS.  It is unique to see one large fish, but to see six so close together was unusual.  The next thing Jason observed was how very low the water was in the stream.  He was right.  The large fish barely had a couple of inches of water above and beneath them.  I looked upstream and downstream and quickly realized that these fish may have become trapped in this area by the bridge.  It seemed that this was the deepest area of water and that if the fish swam any farther up or down stream the water would run too shallow to sustain them.  

So their beautiful stream where they were able to travel and do what fish do, had become a very small pond.  They were now dependent on what would be brought into their pond for sustenance.  

Have you ever had a season of your life like that?  You were going along just fine, moving with the flow, enjoying the ride and the freedom and joy of life, only to find yourself stuck, dependent and uncertain of the future? I have.  Oh boy, have I.  

One of the things that struck me most about the scene that Jason and I happened upon was that these fish could have been trapped anywhere, but they were trapped at the base of a bridge.  A bridge that is traversed by many hikers every day.  Hikers that often have snacks and sandwiches in their backpacks.  Of all the places for these fish to become stuck - God ordained it for them to be right where they needed to be to be well fed by passersby until the rains came to release them for the rest of their journey.  Next time you find yourself S.T.U.C.K.,  look around you.  Your rescue may not be imminent, but, by God's grace, your source of sustenance will not be far away.  These were wild fish, not accustomed to being fed by humans, but do you think they can learn to accept food from a different source for a season?  You better believe it!  Your hope may not come from a source you expected to receive it from during your time of struggle, but it will come.  Will you accept it and wait for the rain?

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