So here you are, slap-dab between the former glory and the conclusion. Here in this middling place, there is none of the momentum that always comes with new beginnings, yet the finish line is nowhere yet in sight.
What do you do?
Girl, you throw a party!
Not even kidding.
Should we? Is it worth the trouble it would take to pause while in full tilt, to stop long enough to care about the middle and to memorialize the miracle that we've made it this far?
Dang straight.
Go with me to Joshua chapter 4:
"And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua saying, 'Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, and command them saying, 'Take you out of the middle of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and you shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the place where you shall lodge this night.'
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day."
Here, we see that God makes a big deal out of the middle. In fact, Joshua was commanded to make two memorials: one from the middle, and one in the middle.
We absolutely must celebrate right where we are, and for no dang reason. We must breathe in the atmosphere of eternity, and look at our weight, our debt, our career, our project, our place here in the middle, and let the peace of God settle over us like a blanket.
To be at peace is not to be passive or unempowered - and it certainly is not to be ashamed!
In every place you find yourself, right here in your middle, you can be at peace. You can know that it is okay for you to be there. After all, you are where you're at.
And to acknowledge where you are in the middle of your Jordan, and find joy in that place is to find strength. And to find strength is to find yourself on the other side of your Jordan before you expected!
To be in denial about the difficulties inherent to the middle, is to leave behind the very stones necessary to build your memorial.
The quality of your outcome depends on the strength and work you put into your middle. It is urgent that you celebrate your middle.
Bring out the Near-Beer and the bubblegum cigars, and I request the very highest of fives.
Get it, girl!
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