Choosing to Fall

The eternal God is your refuge,
    and his everlasting arms are under you.
He drives out the enemy before you;
    he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’
Deuteronomy 33:27 NLT

In our life’s journey with the Lord we may feel our life coming to a sudden halt.  We have done our best to listen and discern the next step, but it feels as though the path ends and the Spirit has led us to a high ledge and we cannot see the bottom of the chasm in front of us. But we sense he is asking us to take a risk and step off.  “Just trust me,” he seems to whisper.

Our brain is telling us it would be crazy to step off.  Our heart ponds. What do we do? You might ask, “Is it an invitation or a command?”  We decide it is both.  We remember who our God is, as Moses did in this blessing in Deuteronomy 33.  He is faithful through the ages, has saved and delivered us from our enemies many times and given us wonderful promises.  He has proved his love for us by giving his beautiful Son to die and pay our debt of sin so we may live eternally in his awesome presence.  He has given us his Spirit to strengthen and guide us.  He has never failed us yet. Though we didn’t always understand what or why he did what he did, we knew he was with us. 

So, we remind ourselves, he is with us today, in whatever situation we find ourselves in.  We may face real danger, or our children are making bad decisions, or, perhaps, our spiritual lives have gone dry and feel barren.  We may feel defeated or feel things have been going relatively well, so why take a risk now?  We all have come to a moment of decision. Do we trust God and surrender to him the area he has led us to?  What is he asking you to surrender to him?

When we step out in faith alone, secure in our obedience, what will be below waiting for us as we fall?  God’s Word promises that it will be better than when a little child jumps in the swimming pool into the arms of her loving father. Our glorious, all-powerful, compassionate God will catch us. If our spiritual eyes are open, we will discover more of his infinite, deep peace and love as he wraps his arms around us. Our enemy will be defeated in that moment.  We are reminded that we are safe. He is always with us. Our faith will explode.  We find that God’s love and peace are powerful weapons against the devil who was feeding our fear and doubt. We ask, “Why did I wait?!”

Dear friends, be blessed and filled with joy as you discover that our magnificent, worthy God is always present to catch us when, in faith, we fall into his arms.  Rejoice today in your new testimony to his glory.

Mary Sumner ~September 5, 2023