Jump! I Will Catch You!

I read an illustration, by Donner Atwood, this morning, that inspired my faith:

"One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters."
 
As I thought about the illustration, I came to the painful realization (once again) that within me lies both a cowardice and a conqueror, a flee-er and a fighter, a wimp and a warrior. Honestly, I stand amazed at how easily I can teeter on the tightrope between ultimate victory and utter failure. And, like the boy in this illustration, I am filled with fear...afraid to jump.

If it were not for my complete trust in my heavenly Father and faith in His ability and character, I would give up and be consumed by my fiery trials.

Can you relate? Most of us can...But God's not finished with us yet. He designed us on purpose for HIS purpose! He has loved us with an everlasting love and HE IS FAITHFUL.


The truth is, we rarely know all the steps that lead to our final destination. Faith requires our obedience and child-like trust. Like Abraham, God invites us on a journey of faith that will require our constant surrender and consistent steps of obedience I love the passage in Hebrews 11:8, which says: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went even though he did not know where he was going."

Our hope and confidence rests in the truth of WHO GOD IS!

Am I a coward? Absolutely...and yet as I submit all my fears and temptations to retreat...GOD equips me with courage to be a conqueror.

Am I a flee-er? Yes. By all rights, there are moments I want to run...but by God's grace I stand and fight.

Am I a wimp? Sadly, by all natural tendencies, yes. BUT GOD fills me with HIS strength and equips me to be a mighty warrior.


Friend, if you feel like retreating or giving up, I want to encourage you; remember WHO You serve and hold fast to God's promises. Remember:

• Hebrew 10:23: "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (NIV)
• Romans 8:37-39: "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NIV)
• 2 Sam 22:31-37: "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn." (NIV)
• Isaiah 41:10: "do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (NIV)

As we face every fiery trial of uncertainty, today, I pray we hear GOD's loving voice reminding us that HE WILL CATCH US!