Years ago a friend and I traveled through an area of Michigan where I’d never been before. We were driving down some very remote backroads headed south when I spotted an old wooden sign: “Sinkhole Turn Left”.
Who doesn’t want to see a sinkhole? I had to satisfy my curiosity. We turned left down another dirt road and soon found ourselves at a simple parking lot in the woods. Another old wooden board near a trail described the sinkhole below us. Apparently the underground limestone had been dissolving for 70 million, bazillion, quadrillion years (🙄) and the ground sloooowly sank lower and lower until a massive hole was formed in the forest floor.
No really, it was huge. We started walking down the trail and found some simple wooden steps leading downhill. So we went down, down, down…I couldn’t even see the bottom yet. I started to get a weird feeling during the descent, as if we were leaving Earth and entering a forested portal into the past. It was silent. Eerie. Unnerving. We went down about 100 feet and stopped just shy of the bottom.
The air was about 10 degrees cooler at the bottom of the sinkhole. Massive trees stood all around us, and tons of dead branches and rotten logs were strewn here and there. Looking way up to the rim of the sinkhole, we felt like ants at the bottom.
While the forest was beautiful, the sinkhole was disturbing. I felt extremely vulnerable and helpless at the bottom of a 100 foot hole in the middle of the forest, with 100 foot trees growing above the upper rim of the sinkhole…that’s 200 feet below the top of the canopy! It was very dark, chilly, and damp down there.
I’m thankful that God is able to rescue any lost soul who cries to Him from the horrible pits of despair, depression, and defeat. If you’re stuck in a deep, dark hole today, God can lift you out and set you on solid ground. He sees right where you are, and there is a steady path back to higher ground, my friend. Call on Him today, don’t delay.
When we climbed up, up, up out of that sinkhole and set our feet on familiar solid ground it was a great feeling. We were glad to have done it, but happier to be done with it.
I’m so thankful that God brought me up out of my old, sinful lifestyle and set my feet upon the solid ground of Christ. The only good thing about my former “sinkhole lifestyle” is that it has given me an understanding and empathetic heart toward people who are struggling with sin. No judgments here, but I can show you the old rugged stairs that lead to higher ground.
If you’re in a pit, ask the Lord to save you today…He wants to.
If you’ve been rescued from a pit, consider asking the Lord to use you today to help someone else who may be stuck in a pit.
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Thank you for sharing this story with this precious verse – it was instrumental in my coming to the Lord as a young man. Being a miner’s son I understand the dangers of sink holes; and then there are spiritual sink holes…that only God can rescue us from. God bless you today brother Eric 🙏
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Thank you, brother Alan…Your Dad was a brave man to be a miner, it’s a job I could never do. Thanks for your encouraging and wise words, may your day be blessed in the Lord!
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My dad topped being a miner. He was a fireman in the RAF during WW2 serving in Egypt. He was recognised for one incident where he rescued a pilot from a burning aircraft.
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I’m raising my hand here, brother Eric.🙋🏻♂️ God brought me out of a sink hole and my life has never been the same. I didn’t know how much I needed Him until I knew that I needed Him!
Very visual writing, as usual. I could feel the damp air and see the towering trees inside that sink hole.
Blessings, brother!
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I share a similar testimony, brother David, and am glad that our feet are walking steady with the Lord toward our Heavenly Father! Thanks for your encouraging words, my friend! Have a blessed day!
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I enjoy the mental images you create through the words and phrases you use. It makes your lessons much easier to remember.
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Thanks for your kind words, friend! I try to paint it as real as I see it in my mind…some things you never forget. Have a blessed day!
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Thank you for sharing your wonderfully vivid experience in an earthly pit and your fortunate rescue from a spiritual sinkhole in hopes of encouraging others to set their feet upon the solid ground of Christ. 🙂
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Thanks Nancy, it’s an experience that I’d forgotten about until I read that verse…I asked myself “Have I ever been in a big hole?” Then I remembered the sinkhole and went “Oh yeah!” And it all came back like it was only yesterday, but it was about fifteen years ago. Have a blessed day, Nancy!
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Well, I’m glad you remembered the sinkhole. It was quite interesting. 😁
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I love the visual image of this story. Thank you for this! What a great God we have–who rescues us from the depths!! 🙂
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Hi
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We lived in FL for 40 years where sinkholes occur from time to time. But I never heard of or saw one more than 100 feet deep! I can only imagine how eerie it must have been to venture down so deep underground. And surely the thought occurred, what if the hole opened up further, causing the walls to cave in?! Praise God in the spiritual realm he is always there to rescue us from the pit of despair and anxiety. I too am thankful for the solid ground of Christ–all other ground is sinking sand!
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You know, I remember quite a few years ago when there were some pretty scary sinkholes opening up in Florida. It really made an impact upon me,,, and then years later I’m walking down into an ancient sinkhole…I just remembered that I had that same feeling…”Could it give way and just collapse?” I had to be brave for the person I was with, but the whole experience was strange and unsettling.😬
Thanks for your encouraging words, Nancy! Have a blessed day!
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