I recently learned about the presence of glacial erratics in my home state of Iowa, but they exist other places as well. “What are glacial erratics?” you ask. They are rocks that are dropped by receding glaciers that differ from the size and type of rocks native to the area in which they rest. Scientists sometimes use erratics to determine the movement of ancient glaciers. Erratics can be large or small and can be carried for hundreds of miles by glaciers from their original source.
I found this interesting in light of where God places us. He sometimes places us far from where we started or where we thought or planned we would be. And that may make us stand out from our surroundings. We may not be very much like the elements around us. We are made up of different “stuff,” spiritually speaking. Our faith in Jesus may set us apart as unusual or even an eyesore to others who are not of the faith.
While where we end up sometimes seems erratic, the place where we have settled on this earth is exactly where God wants us to be. Our presence in a certain area at a particular time may be just the right opportunity for the love of Jesus to be planted and grow. Our ability to endure tough circumstances in a given location may provide strength for later times when suffering creeps across the landscape of our lives.
So much of life can be hard as a rock. But in the end, the enduring hope that we are still part of God’s creation, no matter where we are, brings us lasting peace and comfort. No place on earth is apart from God.
