Take the Leap
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. Psalm 37:24
My family has a strange tradition. We teach all of our toddlers to jump from the top of the refrigerator. As soon as they are able to stand confidently, we begin sitting them atop the refrigerator and coaxing them into our waiting arms. At first, they are understandably tentative and we have to gently pull them down to us. Over time, we assure them that they are safe and that we will catch them as they fall. As they build confidence they gleefully throw themselves into our arms. I’ve watched these little ones beg to do it again and again, they love the thrill of leaping into our arms. They ask us to back up farther and farther and love it when the distance seems largest. They understand that they can trust us implicitly to catch them and pull them close in a loving embrace.
Our heavenly Father is worthy of the same trust. He longs for us to leap to him and allow Him to rescue us from certain death. He desires our trust and our total dependence. He is capable, and even though we, like toddlers, often insist on “doing it ourselves,” that isn’t the ideal way for our relationship with Him to work. As our earthly children grow, they develop independence and an ability to live on their own with less and less of our help. The opposite is true in a growing Christian’s walk of faith. As we grow, and trust God more, we learn that we can lean deeply on Him, allowing Him to supply ALL our needs.
My own children are reaching adulthood, they are taking more and more responsibility on as they grow and develop. They’re paying their bills and working jobs. As they do, at first I followed behind them to make sure everything was done correctly, and as they proved to me an ability to take care of their personal business, I gave them more responsibility. That first semester in college, I helped them set up their class schedule and we talked about what their choices should be The second semester, I reminded them to sign up for classes and asked if they needed help. By their sophomore years, I just asked them to make sure I paid their tuition on time.
Our relationship with God, however, should move in the opposite direction. As we grow, we should desire to be closer and closer to Him, to learn more and more about Him, to seek His will in every area of our lives. From my experience, every step of faith on my part, has been rewarded with blessings far greater than I expected.
God will never falter or fail you. Does that mean that everything will be easy, and go your way? Of course not. In these days and times we’re living in, it seems like another challenge is always waiting just beyond the next hill. We live in a country that increasingly pushes God out and is reaping the just rewards of their failure to seek Him. We will be caught up in the tragedies that befall our land, just like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were caught up and taken into captivity along with other Hebrews who were less faithful. He did uphold them in His arms. Their faith was rewarded with salvation from the lion pit and the fiery furnace.
Are you standing at the top of what feels like a giant precipice in your walk of faith? Put your trust in the arms of the Savior. He will catch you, and your cup will overflow with joy. Take the Leap.
