Trust And Obey…For There’s No Better Way

“O.K…fall back…I’ve got you.” Those were the last words I heard from Luke Dow, before closing my eyes, stretching out my arms, and falling back in faith, thinking he’d be there to catch me, just as he promised. The next thing I remember was the sound of the back of my head hitting the concrete. I remember the laughter and the humiliation for trusting. Boy, did I feel like an idiot.

After that, I remember feeling the urgent desire to succeed at the game. I wanted to trust. I went home and asked my dad to stand behind me. It worked. Why did it work with my dad but not with Luke? I knew that my father wouldn’t drop me. He wouldn’t let me go. Dad, unlike my friends who giggled as I hit the ground, sought nothing but the best for his son.

The hardest part of that dumb game is trusting that the one behind you will catch you. Once you’ve mastered that mind game, the next hurdle is keeping your feet glued to the ground without taking the dreaded stutter step. Full trust requires you to not only blindly fall into the arms of the one behind you, but to also eliminate the stutter step. The stutter step equals self-reliance.

A couple of weeks ago my family had the opportunity to go to church and see some old friends. One of the highlights of the day was seeing an incredible man of God who has spoken a lot of truth into my life over the past couple of years. I will often get calls from him with the “word of the day,” and inevitably it is exactly what I needed to hear at that moment.

As I was leaving church he called my name. He said, “I’ve got a word for you before you leave.” I needed it. I was sore from a useless procedure, frustrated and coming to grips with the fact that my head would soon be cut open. I was wondering where God was at that moment in my life. Without a word, he takes his 3 year old boy and stands him on a counter about 4 feet off of the concrete floor. He steps away from the counter a few feet and stretches his arms towards his helpless child. The boy smiles and in faith jumps and finds himself safe in the arms of his dad.

Without speaking a word, this man of God said all that he needed to say. Why…because he knew what I needed to hear? No…because He knew what I needed to hear. God sensed the hurt of his child and was asking me to trust Him…to blindly fall back into the arms of a trusted Savior.

The challenge before you today is trusting that the One who knit you together in your mother’s womb, really loves you. He doesn’t just like you a lot…He is passionate about you. He is trustworthy and if anyone deserves your trust…He does.

Tomorrow, before you begin your day…stand with your feet together, close your eyes, stretch out your arms and fall back…without hesitation. Trust Him for your day and the challenges your day brings.