Standing On The Cliff

           

         About 25 years ago, my husband and I invited his mom to go on a month long vacation with us—and four of our five children.  Our oldest had left home by then and the youngest was only about 5.  We traversed across the United States, from one ocean to the other and then from the upper border into Canada and back down, crossing the southern border into Mexico, just to be able to say we’d been there!

            During our travels, we stopped at the Grand Canyon.  What a majestic place!  Walking the paths could almost make a person lose their balance as the depths of the areas you were scanning kept changing.  My mother-in-law chose to not walk those paths.  She opted to sit on a bench, safely away from any area too close to the edge.

            My husband is afraid of heights, but he enjoyed walking the paths and standing on solid ground near the steel bars that kept you from getting too close to the edge at the overlooks. A time or two I meandered near the edge where there were no rails and my husband immediately scolded that was I was too close to the edge.  He pointed out a rock could give way, I could slip or any other logical reason to get back, where it was safe.  He was right, of course and we made certain our children didn’t wander too close to the rim.  

            As I stood near the lip of the cliff, I found myself infused with awe of the wonder of this place.  I knew I should be frightened of being too close, but at the time I really wasn’t filled with fear of falling.  I felt grounded and inspired by the changing colors, the sheer depth and changing patterns as the sun and clouds moved over the formations within my sight.  

            I imagine our walk with God like this.  If I had to make decisions on my own, I couldn’t stand firmly with confidence that I wouldn’t fall.  There’s an energy that pulsates through my body as I think about God not allowing the boulder beneath my feet to break off and plummet down the side of the cliff.

            There are of course times when the sand beneath my feet shifts; or even small pebbles fracture, crack, and peel away, making me question my sanity of being where I am at all.  But I know, should a slide begin, God’s “got me.”  He’ll catch me if I slip.

            But to be safely in the hollow of His hand, I need to be deliberate about spending time with him, searching His Word and His Heart for His will in my life.  I’ve found when I’m digging deep for the “golden nuggets” found there, scriptures will sometimes seem to “leap” off the page at me, shouting for attention! 

            His Word is speaking to me.  The scriptures may be some I’ve read a hundred times before, but they’ve left the page at just the time I need them.  God is all powerful.  He will absolutely lead our lives when we are willing to stand on the cliff and allow him to take us places that leave us breathless.

            I encourage you to search for direction in your life and take the risks God is challenging you to. He’s not going to let you fall, if He is in control.  You can stand firmly, with confidence in the strength of His power, to do great and wonderful things, just the way he planned.