Taken from - http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/homeword/
This devotional was written by Jim Burns
O taste and see that the Lord is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8 RSV
One of my favorite storytellers is Dr. Anthony Campolo. I love how he tells the story of Blondin, the tightrope-walker who in the 1890's strung a tightrope across the Niagara Falls.
Before ten thousand screaming people he inched his way from the Canadian side of the falls to the United States side. When he got there the crowd began shouting his name: "Blondin! Blondin! Blondin! Blondin!"
Finally he raised his arms, quieted the crowd, and (how's this for an ego trip?) shouted to them, "I am Blondin! Do you believe in me?" The crowd shouted back, "We believe! We believe! We believe!"
Again he quieted the crowd, and once more he shouted to them, "I'm going back across the tightrope, but this time I'm going to carry someone on my back. Do you believe I can do that?" The crowd yelled, "We believe! We believe!"
He quieted them one more time, and then he said, "Who will be that person?" The crowd went dead. Nothing.
Finally, out of the crowd stepped one man. He climbed on Blondin's shoulders, and for the next three-and-a-half-hours, Blondin inched his way back across the tightrope to the Canadian side of the falls.
The point of the story is blatantly clear: Ten thousand people stood there that day chanting, "We believe, we believe!" but only one person really believed. Believing is not just saying, "I accept the fact." Believing is giving your life over into the hands of the one in whom you say you believe.*
Christ calls you to step out of your comfort zone and walk with Him. Stepping out on faith means that you don't know all that is going to happen but you are putting your trust in Someone who does. Putting your trust with Jesus is not always the comfortable way to go. The risk you take is that God knows what He is doing better than you know what you are doing. History and common sense tell me to put my faith in the infinite Creator and Savior of the universe rather than in unstable me. Are you ready to take another step in the direction of faith. Then accept God's challenge to "taste and see".
GOING DEEPER:
1. Psalm 34:8 tells us that we must take action and make the effort to find out how good the Lord is. Have you ever truly taken refuge in Him?
2. What are you doing right now in your life that could not be done without the super natural power of Christ? Those who live their lives in touch with Jesus are not afraid to step out of their comfort zone and into the realm of faith.
FURTHER READING :
1 Peter 2:3, Psalm 2:12
6 comments:
Very true. When the rubber meets the road, are we on Blondin's back?
cas
I had a dream that was strangely similar to this 2 days ago, and I hadn't heard this story in a long time.
I have truly taken refuge in Christ more than a few times. I used to fight quite often with depression and a sense of paranoia, and many times was reduced to my knees and kept going only by giving over completely to Christ. Many days, praying felt like the only thing I was capable of doing. I could not and would not have made it without Christ because the depression had made me push everyone else away, especially those close to me and those who supported me.
Father, thank you,
crb
Amen to that crb
cas
my wife is 23 weeks pregnant with our first child - it's an amazing process - but one that i do get worried about - what if something happens to the baby? will the baby develop properly? etc. The reality is that i have zero control over this situation and it is making me trust that God has a plan and purpose. i certainly pray for good health for my baby to be, but have to turn it over to GOd and trust Him no mattr what.
trd-
I know many of us on this blog have gone through the initial uncontrollable concern phase with a pregnant wife/new child, etc. Some of it will fade with time, some will fade with a good prayer life, and some will blossom into that weird "eyes in the back of your head"/ninja-like reflex skill that all parents inevitably develop. Recognize that you are at the "stem cell" phase of being a parent and enjoy the lack of control--one day they will be 16 and then its really time to pray :)
crb
I really like this passage. We often worry about so many things that are out of our control instead of trusting in the Lord. I know my faith is often like the ten thousand instead of the one.
LT
Post a Comment