Are you standing on the edge?

Let me tell you a story......"A father and his two small daughters are at play. He's in the water; they jump into his arms. Let me restate that: one jumps; the other ponders. The dry one gleefully wathces her sister leap. She dances up and down as the other splashes. But when her dad invites her to do the same, she shakes her head and backs away."

Wow....how many times has the Father called me to "jump" and I shook my head and backed away! What about you? Are you wanting to enjoy the Christian life and the peace and joy that you know comes from total surrender to him but yet you are to fearful? You know you should obey and sing that song...or you know you should tithe, you feel him leading you to witness to that person at work, you feel his leading to volunteer at the homeless shelter or the nursing home, or just befriend the new member at your church that seems to be all alone. Whatever it is...are you standing on the edge of the pool? There are real fears in this world born out of legitimate concerns. Yet left unchecked they metatstasize into obsessions. We can almost become paranoid. You'll find yourself ignoring faith, never taking the plunge. Happy to experience life vicariously through others. Preferring to take the no risk rather than any risk. For fear of the worst, you never enjoy life at its best.

The one sister by contrast, jumps! Not with foolish abandon, but with belief in the goodness of a father's heart and trust in a father's arm. Oh dear sisters...Hasn't the Father proved himself enough?....You can trust him...you can believe in his goodness and trust his strong arm!

The sister in my story.....I'm happy to report that she belived in her father. After extensive coaxing from her dad and coaching from her sister, she held her nose and jumped. Last tally, she's taken at least a dozen plunges. Good for her. Another fear has fallen victim to trust.



****portions from Max Lucado's book fearless...other portions from what God laid on my heart****