"And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day."
Jesus the Christ, John 6:39
I have a confession to make- I really don't like heights. I know that's surprising given my past as a firefighter and military service. When ever I get more than 20 feet above the ground, my heart starts pounding and I want to freeze up. I've learned to deal with it by remembering the words of my grandfather- "Johnny, it's ok to be afraid. A person can't learn to be brave and overcome fear unless they experience it, face it, and overcome it. That is what courage and bravery really is."
This last weekend I was up on a quick get-a-way with my wife and brother in law Kevin to the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. One of the new features they have their is a "Ropes Course". It's a series of ropes, ladders, cargo nets, and other obstacles that are suspended 20-30 feet above the arcade. You have 45 minutes to navigate through the course on whatever path you want. There are easier paths and hard paths; you choose which way you want to go. There are no nets below you, but you are in a safety harness with a strong tether that keeps you from falling more than a couple of feet.
Kevin and I decided to try this out. As I was getting harnessed in, I looked over the edge and saw how high we were and had that momentary panic feeling set in. I tugged hard on the safety line, and even hung by it for a minute, and became convinced it would hold me if I slipped or fell. The only thing I really had to fear is embarrassment if I did fall, but that's a minor consideration for me. My inner voice then barked, "Cowboy up you wuss!" and I started to navigate the course, going immediately to the harder paths. I had a great time climbing all over the course, and at the end wondered what I was afraid of in the first place.
I've found that our walk with God is very similar to the ropes course. Sometimes God asks us to trust Him with something, or asks us to do something that looks very frightening or even impossible. We nervously head out on the ropes only to suddenly turn back in fear. What we don't see is the invisible tether that is wound together with several strands-
The first is Jesus Himself- He promised us that no matter what happens, He will never leave us or forsake us.
The second is the character of our Father God, who is a good Father and gives good gifts to His children (see Luke 11:11)
The third is God's promise to us that all things work toward the good for those are called according to God's plan and purpose (Romans 8:28)
There are many more strands in this tether we could list. The major take away from this is that if you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, God has us tethered to Him through an unbreakable band. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:38-39), and If God is for us, who can be against us? (Roman 8:31)
Next time you feel or hear God telling you to take a step in faith, take a deep breath, realize that you have a safety line on, and go have fun with your Father God knowing He will not let you fall.
Many blessings
Jesus the Christ, John 6:39
I have a confession to make- I really don't like heights. I know that's surprising given my past as a firefighter and military service. When ever I get more than 20 feet above the ground, my heart starts pounding and I want to freeze up. I've learned to deal with it by remembering the words of my grandfather- "Johnny, it's ok to be afraid. A person can't learn to be brave and overcome fear unless they experience it, face it, and overcome it. That is what courage and bravery really is."
This last weekend I was up on a quick get-a-way with my wife and brother in law Kevin to the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. One of the new features they have their is a "Ropes Course". It's a series of ropes, ladders, cargo nets, and other obstacles that are suspended 20-30 feet above the arcade. You have 45 minutes to navigate through the course on whatever path you want. There are easier paths and hard paths; you choose which way you want to go. There are no nets below you, but you are in a safety harness with a strong tether that keeps you from falling more than a couple of feet.
Kevin and I decided to try this out. As I was getting harnessed in, I looked over the edge and saw how high we were and had that momentary panic feeling set in. I tugged hard on the safety line, and even hung by it for a minute, and became convinced it would hold me if I slipped or fell. The only thing I really had to fear is embarrassment if I did fall, but that's a minor consideration for me. My inner voice then barked, "Cowboy up you wuss!" and I started to navigate the course, going immediately to the harder paths. I had a great time climbing all over the course, and at the end wondered what I was afraid of in the first place.
I've found that our walk with God is very similar to the ropes course. Sometimes God asks us to trust Him with something, or asks us to do something that looks very frightening or even impossible. We nervously head out on the ropes only to suddenly turn back in fear. What we don't see is the invisible tether that is wound together with several strands-
The first is Jesus Himself- He promised us that no matter what happens, He will never leave us or forsake us.
The second is the character of our Father God, who is a good Father and gives good gifts to His children (see Luke 11:11)
The third is God's promise to us that all things work toward the good for those are called according to God's plan and purpose (Romans 8:28)
There are many more strands in this tether we could list. The major take away from this is that if you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, God has us tethered to Him through an unbreakable band. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:38-39), and If God is for us, who can be against us? (Roman 8:31)
Next time you feel or hear God telling you to take a step in faith, take a deep breath, realize that you have a safety line on, and go have fun with your Father God knowing He will not let you fall.
Many blessings
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