Wheezy

Sing to the Lord a new song,
    his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
    you islands, and all who live in them.
Isaiah 42:10

Were you surprised when we posted about Bo Peep’s sheep? Well, today’s character is also on the rarer side. We have officially entered the side-character era, if you will.

And I am excited to talk about Wheezy!

Poor Wheezy, though! His big moment comes in Toy Story 2, and when we first meet him, the poor guy has been forgotten on a shelf. After his squeaker breaks, he gets stuck behind some books and older toys. Dust collects all around him, and eventually, he can barely talk—let alone sing.

What a bummer for a toy who loves to sing!

And honestly, I think we can relate to Wheezy’s experience sometimes too.

We may not have been forgotten on a shelf, but I know what it feels like to be forgotten or left out. We may not have gotten stuck behind a pile of books, but I definitely know what it feels like to be stuck in life.

How about you, friend?

I chose to talk about Wheezy today because his story reminds us of an important truth:
Being stuck is not the same thing as being finished.

Even when Wheezy was forgotten, lonely, and stuck, his story wasn’t over.
Help was coming—even when he couldn’t see it.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.
Psalm 40:1–3

Wheezy’s toy friends eventually come to his rescue! They help him out of the dirt and dust, and Mr. Shark finds him a new squeaker.

Then, at the end of the movie, we see Wheezy with a new voice—and a new song to sing!
Sound familiar?

God hears the psalmist’s cry. He lifts him out of the pit, places him on firm ground, and puts a new song in his mouth.

So, where are you right now, friend?
Are you waiting patiently on the Lord?
Do you feel stuck in the slimy pit, covered in mud and mire?
Or have you already been rescued from the pit and find yourself standing on solid ground—feeling pretty good and pretty clean right now?

Wherever you find yourself, I hope you are reaching out to the Lord.
If all you have right now is a cry for help, He hears you.
If He has already placed a new song in your mouth, then sing it!

May Wheezy remind us that the shelf is not the end of the story. The dust does not get the final word. Being stuck does not mean that God has forgotten us.

May we wait patiently. May we keep going even when hope seems dim. And may we continue to sing to the Lord! --Zac

Sing to the Lord a new song;
   sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Psalm 96:1