Your story, and my story, they were meant to cross paths with God’s story.

Take down the mountains. Lift up the plains. Smooth out the rough spots. Make it easy for God’s arrival because God is bringing good news, his Kingdom. His rule and reign will set everything straight. It will make all things new again. God will restore that which has been lost. His gentleness will restore their souls.

You could hear the whispers and the not so much whispers. People had a lot to say about who they thought Jesus was. Gossip and philosophies and people trying to figure out this man were everywhere to be found at this point in Jesus’ life.

King Solomon had put a heavy burden on the people, both in taxation and labor. The Israelites had gathered to meet Rehoboam to ask him to make their burden lighter. Rehoboam would presented with a choice of what sort of king he would become.

Moses never called them the Ten Commandments and maybe that means there’s something more to the story than most of us realize. This was the start of Love God, Love People, God’s plan all along.

Moses was about to learn God’s name and all of the Deliverance that comes with it.

In the despair, Jacob wrestles with God one night. Not just for a little while, but all night long and just before daybreak, God tells Jacob to stop. But of course, Jacob being who Jacob is, he continues to wrestle. He doesn’t want to give up.