Moab is my washbasin;
Upon Edom I cast my shoe.

Picture Edom in rebellion against Yahweh and his people. Picture them mustering thousands and thousands of warriors. Picture the iron chariots, the war horses snorting and stamping, the bulging muscles and bronze skin of the mighty men, the razor sharp swords, the awful pointed spears, the shields flashing in the sun, the unflinching countenance of seasoned solders. Picture a horde of fierce fighting men thundering through the valley of Seir. Fearful, dreadful, fierce and powerful.

When God sees them coming he sits down. He will wash his feet. With 18,000 fighting warriors approaching like a stampede of Texas longhorns, God sits down to wash his feet! And then, as one would flick a fly, he tosses his shoe on Edom. And 18,000 soldiers fall. God never even looked, he scarcely heard the noise. The world sits stunned at the victory; God sits with his feet in the water.

God is never ruffled. He never jerks. When attacked from behind, he is never startled. At just the right moment he tosses his shoe and all the enemies are crushed. He does not honor them with any nervous preparation. He has set his own schedule for the day and he will accomplish all his purpose. The enemy may try to interrupt, but will not be able to cause the slightest pause in the washing of his feet. O, the folly of resisting the Almighty! What fools he makes of men who strive against their Maker!

Last Sunday the Vikings drew their crowd. And we survived. We not only survived; Sunday School attendance shot beyond last fall, and there were some 650 worshipers in our two services (including the Laotians). The dome is dead as a threat to Bethlehem Baptist Church. We saw the hordes coming. But we waited for God, and he threw his shoe upon Edom. He was never nervous. He never wrung his hands. He had no plan B.

And now?

Let us dream. We will be at 13th Ave. and 8th Street in ten years. The dome is dead as a threat. It is as harmless as a big strapped marshmallow. Now what do we want to become? There were 24 people in the membership class last Sunday who believe there is a future at Bethlehem. Let us turn our eyes to the future and begin to pray. Let the dreamers and visionaries come forth. The time has come to put away our fears and doubts. The God who works for us dismays nations with his feet in the washbasin. Come, let us worship the Lord and bow down—and let us call the city to join us.

Waiting while He washes,

Pastor John