Have you ever heard someone say, "I am taking a leap of faith?" Maybe you have also heard someone say, "I am going out on a limb here." These two phrases have very different meanings. When we go out on a limb, we are out there alone, we are without God, and we are depending on ourselves. When we take a leap of faith, we are not alone, we are following God where He is sending. Taking a leap of faith is not going off on our own. If I write a check for 1000.00 and have no money in my bank account, it is not taking a leap of faith that when I get to the bank 1000.00 dollars will be in deposited. Going out on a limb is doing something for us, we are trying to benefit from something we want. But when we take a leap of faith, it is not necessarily something we want, it may be something we least expected, but it is something God is directing us to do, or somewhere He is calling us. If He is calling us to Iraq to reach others for His glory, we are taking a leap of faith in Him, not ourselves. We are believing and trusting in Him and Him alone to make all things possible for His glory in the mission He has called us for. Going out on a limb is not very wise. On a limb, there is nothing to count on, there is nothing to fall on, or much to hold on to. The further we get out on that limb, we can see how weak it is, and how unsettling it is. There is no assurance at all, but with a leap of faith, we have all the assurance we need in Christ. If we are listening to His will, His call for us, whatever opportunity He has for us, we can without a doubt know that we are secure in all, for He is there with us. He is there when we don't know what is coming, He is there when we don't have the answers. He shows Himself and we as His children without a doubt know that this is what He is asking of us. That is why it is so important to seek His wisdom before any choice or decision we are making. It is important not to move until we do hear from Him, no matter how long that is, He will give us the peace to be still and know that He is God. As Christians we take a leap of faith daily, trusting Him each step of the way. It is when I leave my faith, when I leave His will and try to do it my way that I find myself out on a limb. When I was younger I found myself out on a limb many times, only to fall without a net. As I have grown in my relationship with Him, I have learned my leap of faith is building trust, and it is through that leap of faith that I see Him at work and not myself. Let go of that limb your holding on to today, and grab hold of something real, something true, that will never let you down, and lead you to where you were designed to be, Jesus Christ.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
a leap or a limb?
Have you ever heard someone say, "I am taking a leap of faith?" Maybe you have also heard someone say, "I am going out on a limb here." These two phrases have very different meanings. When we go out on a limb, we are out there alone, we are without God, and we are depending on ourselves. When we take a leap of faith, we are not alone, we are following God where He is sending. Taking a leap of faith is not going off on our own. If I write a check for 1000.00 and have no money in my bank account, it is not taking a leap of faith that when I get to the bank 1000.00 dollars will be in deposited. Going out on a limb is doing something for us, we are trying to benefit from something we want. But when we take a leap of faith, it is not necessarily something we want, it may be something we least expected, but it is something God is directing us to do, or somewhere He is calling us. If He is calling us to Iraq to reach others for His glory, we are taking a leap of faith in Him, not ourselves. We are believing and trusting in Him and Him alone to make all things possible for His glory in the mission He has called us for. Going out on a limb is not very wise. On a limb, there is nothing to count on, there is nothing to fall on, or much to hold on to. The further we get out on that limb, we can see how weak it is, and how unsettling it is. There is no assurance at all, but with a leap of faith, we have all the assurance we need in Christ. If we are listening to His will, His call for us, whatever opportunity He has for us, we can without a doubt know that we are secure in all, for He is there with us. He is there when we don't know what is coming, He is there when we don't have the answers. He shows Himself and we as His children without a doubt know that this is what He is asking of us. That is why it is so important to seek His wisdom before any choice or decision we are making. It is important not to move until we do hear from Him, no matter how long that is, He will give us the peace to be still and know that He is God. As Christians we take a leap of faith daily, trusting Him each step of the way. It is when I leave my faith, when I leave His will and try to do it my way that I find myself out on a limb. When I was younger I found myself out on a limb many times, only to fall without a net. As I have grown in my relationship with Him, I have learned my leap of faith is building trust, and it is through that leap of faith that I see Him at work and not myself. Let go of that limb your holding on to today, and grab hold of something real, something true, that will never let you down, and lead you to where you were designed to be, Jesus Christ.
