Toe the line, endure and God will do the rest

About a year ago, I was in the gym. I was about to start my HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). I had been using the same routine for a few days.

I had been doing three sets that involved jumping rope, squats, pushups and planking. The jumping rope and the squats are easy. The planking and the pushups are hard and exhausting. That day I flirted with the idea of doing four sets back to back. I had barely been able to get through the three that I had been doing during my last couple of session.

I hadn't made the decision to incorporate another set, but the thought did enter into my mind before I got started.

It wasn’t until I was in the middle of the first set that I actually decided that I was going to do four sets. Right after the pushups in the second set and third set a little voice told me that three sets were enough, “You can start doing four sets next week. Just finish this week out with three sets."

I didn’t listen to that voice, because I had already decided to do four sets.

At the end of the fourth set after I had finished planking, I rolled over and sat on the floor to catch my breath. I was huffing and puffing. I sat there with my legs spread open, my elbows on my knees and my hands on either side of my head.

Toe the line: Accept the authority, principles, or policies of a particular group, especially under pressure.

Sweat was dripping from my face and down my goatee onto the floor like a leaky faucet.

My eyes were closed. I was meditating on the fact that the only way that I was able to finish four sets was because I had decided three sets before that I was going to do it. I didn’t say that I was going to try to do four sets. I said that I was going to do four sets.

I knew that God would help me muster up the strength and the endurance to get through the process, if and when I actually made up my mind and decided to embark upon the journey.

After a few minutes, I opened my eyes and saw that the sweat from my brow had formed a footprint that was toeing the line in front of me.

A footprint formed on the floor from my sweat after my workout.

In that image I truly believe that God was telling me to toe the line, so I looked up the meaning of that expression.

Toe the line: Accept the authority, principles, or policies of a particular group, especially under pressure.

He was telling me to be obedient and that obedience begins with a decision, a choice, to do what it is that He is calling me to do.

When I got home, my wife Cheryl was in the middle of her Bible study. I had texted the picture to here and our kids in our family group chat. When I walked in the door she showed me her phone.

“Look at the song I have that I am about to play after I finish my Bible study.” It was Order My Steps.

Later that day, I texted the picture and the story to my good friend Clifton who works at a university. He and I have shared stories of confirmation and God's providence over the years. What he texted me back was nothing short of amazing.

You can’t ask for anything more clear in terms of confirmation and God's providence.

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