Have you ever been repelling? The summer before my senior year I traveled out to Colorado with Young Life and stayed at Frontier Ranch. It is a beautiful place filled with adventure. I had many opportunities to do things I had never done. One of those things was repelling. We had to hike up a portion of the mountain and then we were given the opportunity to repel down. I watched several people go before me and it looked amazing, but as my place in line moved closer to the front, my stomach traveled up my throat. I am petrified of heights and the idea of jumping off the top of a cliff with nothing holding me up but a rope seemed beyond ridiculous. I was 17 and did not have a death wish. Absolutely nothing could convince me to do it….nothing except a cute college guy who was working the ropes and promised to come down to my rescue should I have a problem.
What can I say? I jumped and when I did, I experienced something new and exciting. I am so thankful his cuteness overruled my fear of heights, because I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out of the adventure. Truthfully, it was the promise of being rescued if I ran into trouble that gave me the strength to jump. The cute factor was just a bonus.
Do you feel like God has taken you up to the top of a cliff and asked you to jump? Is there something you’re facing that requires an inhuman leap of faith? Hebrews 11:1 says “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what of what we do not see.” One thing I’ve learned in life is if it looks impossible, it’s probably God. He gives us opportunities to partner with Him in things that don’t seem humanly possible, and they aren’t. Luke 1:37 says “Nothing is impossible with God.” If He is asking you to jump, you can trust He’s got you. He will never leave you nor forsake you [Deuteronomy 31:6]. When it gets difficult or frightening, He’s there. It is not through our own strength we find victory, but victory comes from resting in His strength [Philippians 4:13].
Life with God is one adventure after another. We are promised we aren’t in the adventure alone, and He has already rescued us and will continue to come to our aid when we need Him. Just like repelling, it may be frightening at times, but it is so worth it. Go ahead… jump!