Linking Words by Nicky Wilkinson

 

14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. https://esv.org/Deut 30.14

Do you ever wonder why God asked the children of Israel to inhabit the land of Canaan. Canaan wasn’t theirs. It was full of other people who were not friendly, some of whom were inordinately big and hostile. It was no easy matter to subdue. Could they not just live where they were? If they had to move into Canaan, why didn’t He do the hard bits for them, especially as it was His idea? Would gift wrapping have appealed more than the wounds, mess and fray more likely to be encountered? 

When I start to write, it feels like that invitation to take the promised land. Typing words and sentences unsettles the pristine white paper. The text stares back at me, questioning and challenging my efforts. I rove around in my mind for sounds and meaning that better resonate and flow. Darlings need to be sacrificed. Word counts undulate alarmingly as deletes and backspaces rearrange and rehouse new inhabitants among old. My reputation is on the line. The battle is in full swing as big ugly combatants of grammar and punctuation heave around on the fields of paper waiting for this land of writing to be settled and peace to descend again. 

What would it look like without these obstacles? Text just flowing gift wrapped from my fingers. I think I would be sad, bored and disappointed as my muscles atrophied and the opportunity for maturity remained bound. Perfection would happen because He could write anything despite me, but it wouldn’t be any fun. He invites the joy of participating, the excitement of problem solving, and the hope of learning, so one day I can get somewhere. I think He put a desire in me so a journey of discovery and development would grow us closer.  

Deuteronomy 30 v 14 reminds me the answers closer than I think while He extends His hand towards mine. On the journey the obstacles redirect my gaze to Him, to search His face for guidance. I need intimacy with Him to hear the directions that will guide me round the difficulties. He didn’t say there wouldn’t be any, He just said He would be there with me to get through. Together we work it out. I have to enter the land, face the challenges, risk the battles. When I step out He supports me like scaffolding, sometimes removing the mountains, sometimes lighting the path over them. The relationship is what He seeks, the difficulty makes me seek Him. 

Nicky Wilkinson is a grandmother of 6. She lived abroad for 25 years in Czech Republic and Zimbabwe where she was involved with education. Today she writes, runs, plays her saxophone and guitar, not all at the same time.