My first little granddaughter was gleefully playing “jump onto Nana” from one of the couches in the living room. She giggled with delight each time her chubby little legs launched her from the arm of the couch onto me like a monkey jumping on a tree.
With every leap, she requested that I "step back" making each jump a little further. Once I was beyond her actual ability to reach out and touch me before she jumped, she said "Nana, hold out your arms".
The gap between us had become greater than her ability to conquer without an actual "leap of faith”, trusting that I would catch her and in order for her to FEEL that trust, she needed me to hold out my arms.
Isn't the parallel evident? Does not God ask us to take a leap of faith in believing in Him and in believing HIM? (yep, read it again...not a typo). HOWEVER, after the fall of humanity, we simply could not JUMP to Him, we needed Him to hold out his arms.
AND HOLD THEM OUT HE DID!!! For God so loved the world (and you and me individually) that He gave his one and only son, Jesus, (who gave His life for ours on the cross - taking our place - and bridging the gap) so that WHOSOEVER (I'm a whosoever, you're a whosoever) believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
In this broken world, God became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. Was it not a leap of faith that brought you into the outstretched arms of Jesus? Why are we so quick to trust God with the destination of our immortal souls but want to try and manage our “right now” lives ourselves?
I think we can learn a lesson from the giggles and grins of a child jumping off the couch. Each time I caught my grandchild, she became more confident in my abilities and her TRUST grew. There is that trust principle again.
You will never take a giant leap of faith or a chance on God if you don’t trust Him. You will never trust Him, if you don’t spend enough time with Him to KNOW His character and to realize His power! AND YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THE JOY OF LANDING IN HIS ARMS IF YOU DON’T JUMP!
Go ahead - JUMP - His arms are open wide and He has never dropped anyone!
From the book - RADICAL DEVOTION
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