What Stands in Your Way? (The Beaver Dam!)

Once again Kim and I spent a couple of weeks on Lake Pleasant in the Adirondack Mountains with some of our family. Each year, while there, we take a canoe ride from our lake to another lake through a channel that is about three-quarters of a mile long. It’s a beautiful ride filled with water lilies, duck families, fish that pass under the canoe, the sound of bull frogs, and this year a young heron and it’s mother. This year, however, we never made it to the other lake. You see, about two-thirds of the way through we found our way completely blocked by a beaver dam! 

We’ve seen the beaver dams in the past, and now and then even the beavers themselves. However, we have never seen a beaver dam like this one. It extended across the whole channel giving us no way to get around it. The water on the other side was 4 to 6 inches higher than on our side. And it was amazingly strong made with sticks and logs cut and shaped by the beavers and sealed together with mud.  It was an engineering feat to be seen. 

At some point, the beaver dam will have to be removed by the local park service. If not, the whole balance between the two lakes and the channel itself will be messed up. And, unless the dam is removed no one will ever be able to canoe through the channel to the other lake again. It’s going to take an outside force to remove this incredibly strong obstacle that we found in our way. 

It makes me think about the kinds of obstacles that might stand between myself and the life that I know I ought to be living. Negative thought patterns, bad habits, even my own sinful nature are all examples of the kinds of things that might keep me from being the person God would have me be and doing all that God would have me do. And the truth is, I can’t overcome these obstacles on my own; they’re too big and strong for me to handle on my own. I need outside help—a strength and power greater than what I find within myself. 

I relate well to the Apostle Paul’s words: “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”  (Romans 7:15 – NIV). Paul was honest enough to admit that deep within himself was an obstacle that kept him from living the life he knew he ought to live. He even cried out in desperation, “What a wretched man, I am” (vs. 24) He knew he needed outside help if he was ever to overcome what stood before him—what was within him. Thankfully, he knew exactly where to turn for he quickly responds by declaring, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (vs. 25) 

There is power to help us overcome whatever obstacles may be standing in our way between where we are and the life we know we ought to live. There is power to help you be the man or woman God would have you be and the things he would have you do. That power is found in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. He is able to save us, deliver us, and change our lives from the inside out. He is able to remove every obstacle that might stand in your way, if you will put your trust in him. 

There’s no obstacle too big or strong for God, so let’s trust him with our lives. 

Have a great day! 

- Pastor Tim Harris 

P.S. I’m really hoping they get that beaver dam removed!