Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– George Macdonald
Jump
When my youngest son was still somewhat afraid of the water and wouldn’t even step down into the kiddie pool, I took him to the side of the pool and came near him. I held out my arms, promising to catch him. I asked, “Don’t you believe daddy is strong enough to catch you,” to which he replied, “Yes. I’m just afraid.” I told him, “I’m not. I know I can catch you.” So I said, “Jump,” and he did. And yes, I caught him. My son had shown, at least on a human scale, a perfect faith in his daddy. For Israel, who was also afraid of Pharaoh’s army on one side and the Red Sea on the other, God said, “Trust Me”; and He parted the Red Sea, the same sea which drowned the Egyptian army. You can trust your “Abba Father.”
Swim
When my nephew and son were about 8 or 9 years of age, I was shocked that they didn’t know how to swim. I had grown up next to a river in Kansas. As children, we swam, played Frisbee on the shore, cooked hot dogs over the fire, caught crawdads in the mud, and had a great time. I was surprised that these boys couldn’t swim yet. So I brought them to the pool, took them to the shallow part, and (I know it sounds harsh), threw them both in the water (only 3 feet deep). Immediately they started swimming instinctively. I taught them how to do the “dog paddle” and how to tread water. They were so happy that they had learned to swim, they told just about everyone they knew. All they had to do was get in the water and “swim.” By then they realized they already could.
Experience
From experience we can trust the bridge we drive over. We’ve never met the engineer who designed it or the architect who planned it, but we still drive over it without ever giving it a second thought. I used to fly a lot when I worked for the government, and I never met any of the pilots or saw their credentials. Not once did I ever look at the aircraft’s maintenance records, but I still didn’t feel bothered by it and took the flight. I knew from experience, from time after time of driving and taking a flight, that I had nothing to worry about. How much more so can we trust a God Who works everything out for us according to His perfect will (Romans 8:28)? I can look back on my life experiences and see that I had no reason to fear at all.
Cast out the Fear
The Apostle John wrote, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18). John makes a great point. What do we really have to fear? We are safely in the arms of Jesus and God the Father (John 10:28-29). This verse shouldn’t make us feel guilty, as we’re all prone to have anxieties, worry, and fear. Truly, the opposite of faith or trust is fear, so remember that our punishment was placed upon Him so we could live without fear of the coming judgment of God, which is coming on all who refuse to repent and trust in the Savior (Revelation 20:12-15).
Conclusion
Your heavenly Father loves you more than your own father or mother does and knows you so much better. So go ahead: Trust God and jump! Maybe it’s a leap of faith, but God can catch you. Swim in His revealed will in the Bible. Look back and see just how faithful God has been and why you have no reason to fear the future. And our future is not like that of those who reject Christ (John 3:36b); rather, it’s a glorious future, so great that we can’t even compare this life to the life that is to come (Romans 8:18).
