I had never seen such a thing.
Two people near Paihia, New
Zealand, were flying in a special contraption
that looked like a minimized hang glider. The device was connected however, by
an extreme extra-long cord, to a motor boat. The speed of the boat kept it up in
the air, guiding it through the wide open space of the sky.
I stared at it, amazed. People were actually flying
without the aid of a motor, and had effortlessly reached the heights of the sky.
And as long as they stayed connected to the speed boat via the umbilical-looking
attachment, they would never fall.
It is this that reminded me of a passage in the Bible:
"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings
like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
(Is 40:31 NIV)
Just like these people, we, as Christians, can soar
way up high, just like eagles! But we, too, have to rely on an "umbilical" cord
that attaches us to our Maker and Saviour. This "umbilical" cord is called
trust.
But trust doesn't come too easily, especially
nowadays.
To trust completely we have to set aside our pride, as
well as all of our petty preoccupations. We have to put our entire focus on the
person we trust. Only then can we soar way up to heights we would never have
imagined. Gone are the addictions. Gone are the worries. Gone is any selfishness
and unforgiveness.
"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well." (Matt 6:33-34 NIV)
This is where most of us go wrong. We are so attracted
by our own obsessions that we never find the time to start trusting anyone, much
less the one many sadly call the "Man upstairs". And that's where we continue to
live a mundane life with all its whistles called addictions attached to it.
We all fall short of the assured promise: "All these
things will be given to you as well."
It seems to be human nature that as soon as we are
experiencing any kind of soaring in the heights of the sky, we immediately take
out our pocket knife and severe the cord that keeps us in the air. "We can do it
by ourselves" we claim, only to discover over and over again that it is not so,
after we crash.
If we only took the time, we might realize one day
that "soaring like eagles" is truly a reality for those who set aside their
pride. "God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or
guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but
by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." (Eph 3:20 The
Message)
We can fly like eagles, but only if we truly stay
connected to God in all humility with the "umbilical" cord called total trust.
We have a lot to thank our Heavenly Father for. Not
only is He our Creator and our Saviour, not only has He sent us numerous love
letters through His Word, not only has He provided a guide to help us through
the chaos of this world, He has made it possible for us to fly above all the
mediocrity of this life.
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that
cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with
reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." (Heb 12:28-29 NIV)
Where is my Swiss Army knife? I thought I had put it
in my right pocket! Ahhhh!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.