I'm Glad That I Misunderstood

No one has ever commended me on my memory, especially when it comes to song lyrics. There are a few useless ones from the '90's that I can sing every lyric to, but that's about the gist of it. Lyrics I seem to remember best are the ones that I misunderstand and make up my own words without realizing it. For example, instead of "I've got two tickets to paradise," to me it sounded (might I add, still sounds) an awful lot like "I've got two chickens to paralyze." And I still don't know if it's "I'm blue, dabadee dabada," or "I'm blue, if I was green I'd die." No clue! I may google it later.

Oh, side story before I get started on the real story. On the subject of misunderstood lyrics, let me tell y'all a hilarious one about my little brother, just don't tell him you heard it from me. I remember pulling into Popeye's Chicken when I was younger, couldn't have been any older than 9-10 so my little brother was around 7-8. Anyway, he was in the backseat and started singing "Low-fat chicken from Popeye's." He was getting down with it, he sincerely thought that was their slogan instead of "Love that chicken from Popeye's." I have laughed about that for almost 20 years now. But if we're being honest he may have been on to something. Quite a few of my calories have probably been accumulated from years of eating the number 9, mild, with mashed potatoes and a medium Dr. Pepper. I am ashamed.

But back to the original story, this past Sunday night while I was sitting in service at my home church the praise team sang the song "Rescue" by Lauren Daigle. It's a great song, if you haven't heard it you should look it up. While I was singing along with them I noticed that something didn't quite sound right. There is a part that says "In the middle of the hardest fight it's true, I will rescue you." This whole time I had been singing "In the middle of the HARVEST fight it's true, I will rescue you." 

After realizing the real lyrics I thought to myself, "Well Jesus rescuing us in middle of our hardest fight makes a lot more since than Him recuing us in a harvest fight." But then it was as if I heard a voice that said "I can rescue you during a harvest too." And almost instantly I pictured these massive corn fields that I drive by each year. During harvest time, after the corn has been cut, there are always a few stalks still standing tall in the field that somehow missed the harvest. I pictured that cornstalk as a person whose church is going through this great harvest but they don't feel like they're part of it. They see the harvest going on around them but they feel that it's just out of their reach. They've been faithful. They attend every service, even make the prayer room and yet still feel stuck, without purpose and forgotten; but being stuck isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes God allows you to feel stuck while he prepares you for the next door you're meant to go through.

When all the picked corn has been sent to the elevator, these few lowly stalks that were left behind are able to feed things that the other stalks can no longer feed. The deer, raccoons, squirrels, and more, feed off of the corn while it's in the field. This stalk that is feeling left out, is exactly where it needs to be in order to help those around it. You have a purpose, you have not been forgotten.

If you've been faithful and stood firm on his word but still feel like something's missing, look around. Isaiah 40:31 says "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Your test could soon become your testimony. There are benefits in waiting on the Lord, and while you're waiting, look for ways to be a blessing to others. Maybe there is a little raccoon who no longer has those thousands of stalks in the field to choose from, but he has you. You are the only one who can help him, and it's because of your waiting.

In Exodus, Moses tells the people "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you this day:" Moses was talking to them about escaping Egypt, but the same applies today. Moses was raised as royalty, he was surrounded by many tall and beautiful stalks, his purpose though was not the same as theirs! It was much much greater!

Moses knew that inside he was not an Egyptian, he was an Israelite. Moses fled Egypt alone, he was separated from the stalks that he grew up with. He fled in fear of losing his life and probably felt alone at times. Little did he know, he was right where God wanted him to be. While Moses was separated, God revealed himself to him, showed him his power, and instructed him to go back to Egypt and free His people from bondage. 

The one separated stalk who remained faithful to God and his people, who at one point felt alone and had to flee for his life, was responsible for freeing 600,000 men, not including women and children, by adhering to the voice of the Lord.

So stay strong little stalk, you're right where you're supposed to be. Rejoice in the harvest of your neighbor, yours is on its way!