Do You Entrust and Trust?
One strap around my waist. That’s it? Then I sit on the wide strap under my butt? This is a glorified playground swing with a seatbelt. Sure, there are two straps loosely around my legs, but there has got to more to this than that. Where is the full body harness?
“Ok amigo?!”
My new Mexican friend then clipped the vertical straps onto the parachute.
“Ok amigo, walk forward quickly, now sit down…”
Hey, wait a minute…is this really safe? I‘m not sure I am ok. I’m not sure this whole thing is ok. Those aren’t locking carabiners…in fact, they’re not even carabiners…are you sure this can hold my weight? How old is this contraption anyway? Are you regulated by some governing body to thoroughly check this equipment to ensure it meets or exceeds high safety standards?
And in the nanosecond it took for those thoughts to race through my mind I was off. I catapulted upwards as the boat accelerated forward. Before I knew it I was a couple hundred feet up in the air on my first parasailing adventure.
I was definitely exhilified – a combination of exhilarated and terrified.
I was yelling praise at the top of my lungs. Partly to vent the exhilification that was rapidly spilling out of me, partly to let the Lord know I was alive and very much wanted to stay that way, and partly because I was having an awesome time.
The fear I was feeling made me feel very much alive. Yeah baby, this was awesome!
Hey, now that I’m up here, those triangular metal “thingys” I am clipped into don’t look very strong. I wonder what the tensile strength of those is? They are the only things holding me up here.
Scenario after scenario began to pass through my mind about how this whole adventure could end: parachute detaches from boat and I float down into ocean. Boat stalls and I float down into ocean. My harness breaks and I drop into the ocean very quickly – that could hurt. Or, it ends the way hundreds have ended before me – I land softly on the beach after having a fabulous time.
I chose to trust the equipment, believe the latter scenario would be the case and have a fabulous time. I shifted from fear to faith. I did have a fabulous time and would do it again in a heartbeat.
I learned something from my little Mexican parasailing adventure. I had 2 choices to make: I had to “entrust” myself to the men running this operation, their expertise and their equipment, and I had to then “trust” the equipment once I was in the air and there was no turning back. If I had merely entrusted myself to this adventure and not then chosen to trust the equipment once airborne I would have spent the entire time in fear, with no peace, and not experienced the freedom and joy of this exhilarating ride.
This is a picture of our walk with Jesus. He invites us to “entrust” our lives to Him, to surrender ourselves, and to exchange our life for His. He then asks us to “trust” Him on a daily basis, to believe He will love us, lead us, guide us, counsel us, watch over us, provide for us, and protect us. To believe what He says is true, to trust His Word is true, to believe the Truth and not the lies of the enemy. To shift from fear to faith.
Even after we “give our life to Christ” – entrust ourselves to Him – we can often choose not to trust Him on a daily basis. We want to take control to protect ourselves and miss the peace, freedom and joy Jesus has for us in the midst of the adventure of life. Why? Because we do not trust Him.
Is this perhaps where you find yourself? You have entrusted your life to Christ, but you are not trusting God on a daily basis. Do you find yourself in the midst of an exhilifying adventure in Jesus without peace, freedom and joy? Perhaps you have entrusted yourself to Jesus but have not chosen to daily trust Him. He is trustworthy and worthy of your trust.
You will not experience all the peace, freedom and joy Jesus has for you until you choose to wholeheartedly trust Him and celebrate in the thrill of the journey. Until you shift from fear to faith.
Then hang on and enjoy the ride!
Proverbs 3:5, 6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Philippians 1:6
“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Hebrews 12:9
“Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!”
You are the Light of the World
The doors of the freight elevator rattled closed with a clunk. The appropriate button was pushed and we began to descend deep into the earth. Down, down, down we went – hundreds of feet down into the heart of the Canadian Shield. Solid rock surrounded us.
At the conclusion of our adventurous journey to the center of the earth we exited into a massive corridor hewn out of solid rock. An array of other corridors headed out in all directions like the tentacles of an octopus stretching into a subterranean maze of storage sites: nuclear waste storage sites.
We were in one of Canada’s underground nuclear waste storage facilities.
The Canadian government had created this facility to dispose of the radioactive waste created in the production of nuclear power. The radioactive waste would be transported in specialized containers and put to rest in the end of the long rock corridors, then back-filled with a special sand and sealed off for all eternity.
I was escorting a small group of middle school students from the Christian school in which I was teaching. We had been learning about nuclear power and I thought it would significantly enhance their learning to enable them to actually experience an aspect of the process. One particular moment of our adventure had a significant impact on me…
Our guide brought us into a corridor hundreds of feet down in the solid rock of the Canadian Shield. The only light was obviously that which was created by the dim man-made overhead lighting. He asked us if we would like to see what total darkness looked like. Of course we did.
He turned off the lights.
It was so dark I felt encompassed by a blackness I had yet to experience in my time on earth. A darkness so dark I could almost feel it. I held my hand up to my face – inches away in fact. I perceived no evidence I even had a hand, except for my internal nervous perception that told my brain where I had placed my hand.
I could see nothing, absolutely nothing.
When he switched on the lights I marveled at the power of light. The darkness that seemed so overwhelming fled in a nanosecond when the light entered the corridor. The darkness was no match for the light.
Light overpowers darkness. Period.
Jesus said we are the light of the world. You and I are the light of the world. When we ‘shine’ darkness flees. When we do what is good, right, loving and just, the darkness flees. When we live in love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, darkness flees. When we praise and pray, darkness flees. When we give generously, darkness flees. When we shine things get better.
So, what kind of light are you? We can’t all be the same kind of light you know. You bring a special kind of light that I can’t bring, and likewise. The world needs all kinds of lights.
Can you imagine if the dash lights in your car were spot lights? Or the light on the end of the surgeon’s arthroscopic operating instrument was like a lighthouse? Or what if traffic lights were like the light of your bedside clock, or your car headlights were like the light of your computer – or vice versa?
Every light has a particular purpose. Every light is specifically designed for a particular function.
As are you.
You bring a special light to the world in a way only you can. Don’t look at someone else and wish to be just like them. Be yourself. Be your unique you. Sure, learn from others and grow in Godly character, but be the light you were meant to be. Shine in the way you were designed to shine.
“We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Mary Williamson
Let your light shine – you are the light of the world.
Matthew 5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Luke 11:35, 36
“See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
John 8:12
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
What Can I Give You? Ask.
We were hauling 5 gallon pales of concrete on our shoulders up ladders to the second floor where we would dump them into the wall forms. It was hot. It was dirty. It was exhausting, but we were happy to be there.
It was a tiny rural community in north central Mexico. A group of us had come down by bus from Winnipeg to do some outreach work. On this day we were partnering with a group from the states who were working here long term. We were helping them build a school, or church building – I can’t really remember now.
During one of our breaks a number of us were sitting around with the leader of this work. I was trying to learn more about his vision, what he wanted to accomplish and what some of their needs were. I asked him a simple question,
“What is your greatest need?”
“Money”, he replied.
It struck me as somewhat shallow. Really?
“Yup, give us more money and we can do some great things…”
Hmmmmm. It got me thinking about the question God asked Solomon in 1 Kings 3:5:
”What can I give you? Ask.” (The Message)
Wow, what would I say if God spoke to me and asked that? How would you answer?
I have pondered that question a number of times over the years. I know I am not in a good place when my answer revolves around “things”, or money. What God is really asking is what we want. What is deep in our hearts? It is easy to answer at a surface level, it’s tougher to get to what is really at the core of our desires.
It’s a good exercise to see where your heart is at. Are you aware of your desires? Are they solely carnal? Do they involve the deeper things of God? Are they simply legitimate daily needs?
So, how would I answer?
There are certainly some immediate desires/needs I have that I am confident the Lord cares about and will provide what I need. But I want to go deep to the big, hairy, audacious ask – that which is impossible without God.
The God of the universe, He who is without beginning and end, He who is infinitely powerful and able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine asks you,
“What can I give you? Ask.”
I have 4 thoughts:
- To be filled with the breath of God and come alive together with others as a vast army for good, and be empowered to facilitate the breath of God breathing on the dry bones of men’s lives. Ezekiel 37:9,10
- To have the Lord open the eyes of my heart to see the hope of our calling, the riches of our inheritance and God’s incredibly great power that is at work in us, so that I could powerfully and profoundly compel others to Christ. Ephesians 1:18-20
- To be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to know Christ more and make Him known. Ephesians 1:17
- To live in the height, depth, and length of Christ’s love and be filled with the fullness of God, overflowing to bring freedom and life to others. Ephesians 3:18,19
I don’t know if I’d get 4 cracks at the question, but I think that’s how I would respond. Next month I may respond differently, but that’s what comes to mind now. I am sure if I heard some of what you would ask for I’d think, “What a great idea – I think I’ll ask for that too.”
So, how would you respond? There is no right or wrong answer.
What’s in your heart?
And you know what? We don’t have to wait for God to appear in a dream and ask us this question like He did with Solomon, because He has already asked us this question. Jesus tells us to ask, seek, knock – He is good and has put good desires in our hearts. He has put desires in our hearts He wants to draw out. Scripture tells us if we delight ourselves in the Lord He will give us the desires of our heart, because the deepest desire in our hearts is God.
He wants to help us discover the deep desires He has put in our hearts, because He is the deep desire in our hearts. We hunger and thirst for Him above all else.
He is able to do immeasurably beyond all we can ask or imagine, so go ahead, answer His question:
“What can I give you? Ask.”
Ephesians 1:17
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Ephesians 3:16-19
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Matthew 7:7, 8
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Redirect Your Anger
I had an incident with my son the other night. Not a big deal, but it’s an issue we have been struggling with for years.
I reached my boiling point.
I got really angry. I got disproportionately angry. No yelling. No hurtful words. Just silent rage. Inside I was yelling, screaming and saying things that are meant to stay in my inside voice.
I left the dinner table and started doing the dishes – steaming.
To his credit my son came over and apologized for what he did; taking ownership for his behaviour he asked for forgiveness. I forgave him…but not really. You see, we have repeated this scenario over and over again. The same attitude, the same response, then the same apology and repentance.
But repentance is really a change in behavior, and that’s what I want to see. He keeps repeating this behaviour and frankly I am fed up.
I couldn’t stick around, so I told Anne I was going to wash her car and left. I washed her car, vacuumed it, had a caramel macchiato at Starbucks, went to the bank and then drove around for an hour trying to think and pray through this…
“All he has ever known is a supportive and engaged father – it’s time for him to experience what an unsupportive and disengaged father looks like. Maybe then he won’t take me for granted and appreciate me more.”
Ouch, that really looks ugly when I write it down, but that was what I was thinking was the best way to deal with this.
Sure there were lots of other thoughts running around my mind, but it pretty much boiled down to that. He had disrespected me once too often and now I was done.
“If you are going to treat me like that then f-you, I don’t need you anyway.”
Ouch again – there is that horrifically ugly sinful response to wounding that I have been working for years to get free from.
Whoa, this is really disproportionate…I think the Lord needs to show me something here.
I came home in no better mood than when I left. Anne confronted me to ask how I was. She saw the black storm cloud that was my attitude and indicated this was way out of proportion to what happened.
My anger pushed her away too.
I sat outside alone on the deck in the dark trying to find God in this whole thing, but was feeling quite justified in my anger. I was still thinking I needed to start acting disengaged and unsupportive toward my son so he will grow to appreciate who I am.
And, that’s when it happened…
I was looking to my left at a large maple tree in our yard, praying, thinking, whining, complaining, plotting, scheming, and wallowing. As I began to move my focus to my right I saw it.
Or should I say I saw him.
Standing right beside me, lurking over me, lying in wait for me, was a tall, black, cloaked figure. I saw the figure for an instant then it was gone. Fear shot through my body like lightning. Every hair on my body stood wildly to attention.
And then the Lord stepped in. In a nanosecond I realized my anger needed to be redirected. There is an enemy lying in wait to destroy all the life God has for me, and my son.
I redirected my anger from my son, to the enemy.
I began to vehemently pray against the strategy of the enemy. I rebuked rage, pride, arrogance, self-pity, division, discouragement, despair and the like. I realized if the enemy is lying in wait to destroy me he is doing the same with my son, so I began to rebuke the strategy of the enemy set against him: diminishment, self-hatred, pride, division, hopelessness, despair and the like.
I asked the Lord to forgive me for my pride and self-pity, and to fill me with the Holy Spirit. My heart shifted. My rage toward my son was gone.
I want a precious, engaged, loving, strong father/son relationship with my son and with my Father. But that is not what the enemy wants.
Wow, what a revelation. I realize how important it is to redirect our anger. Don’t deny your anger. Don’t pretend it’s not there. Don’t try to bury it under religious platitudes. Don’t vent on those you love. No, redirect it toward the one who wants to destroy those you love, you, and all the life God has for you and through you.
Redirect your anger toward the enemy, and humbly submit to the Lord, then watch the miracle of how He changes your heart.
James 4:7
“So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper.” (The Message)
1 Peter 5:8
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”