Leap of faith

Do you remember in the Indiana Jones film called “The last crusade” there was a moment when he had to take a leap of faith. He had to trust that something would hold him up if he stepped out blindly. I really enjoyed that film but I fear that this is exactly how people see a leap of faith. Someone blindly stepping out and hoping – against the odds – that God will help them.

Yesterday, being a holiday for my children, I took the day off and we went up into the Brecon Beacons in South Wales. We walked up the track to the top of Pen-y-fan. It was a good experience and it even snowed at the top.

Anyway we reached a point where we had to walk along the track which was cut into a steep bank. The path was quite wide and for me it was no trouble at all. For my 8 year old son though – who is not too good with heights it was really very scarey. For him it was a kind of leap of faith to walk along the path.

However it was not the blind stepping out because:

1. He trusts me. I told him it would be ok and this gave him some confidence to know it would be safe. This is the same with God. When God tells us that something is going to be safe we can have enough confidence to take that leap of faith. How do we know what God says – the Bible, prayer, other people etc.

2. We could see that others had been that way before. The path was well defined and we even saw some people walking along it as we started out. In the Christian life it’s usually true that someone else has been that way before. This is one of the many reasons its good to read the stories of other people. There are many people who have faced similar situations to yourself before and we can read how God helped them. This will give us confidence to step out for ourselves.

3. We had walked along many other paths before. One of the things I like to ask people if they are nervous of walking along a high path is: “how many pavements/sidewalks have you fallen off in your life – even when the wind was blowing?”. I’m sure one day someone will call by bluff who has fallen off a pavement/sidewalk but the vast majority of us feel perfectly safe on a path when we are low down. Why would it be any different high up? Don’t get me wrong because I don’t like heights myself but sometimes paths are so wide that the nervousness I feel is just plain silly. In the Christian life we walk along many paths. Every day we walk with God. When we are then asked to take a more scarey path we ought to remember all the easier paths we have taken and remember how God helped us in the simple things.

Taking a leap of faith can be a bit scarey. Remember though that you have already walked many paths and lived to tell the tale. Others have passed that way before and not only survived but even enjoyed themselves. Last remember that you can trust God completely. God will never let you down.

The heart of faith

At the heart of the Christian faith lies the crucifixion and ressurection of Jesus Christ. This one central act defines what Christianity is all about. It is in the crucifixion and ressurection that we come to understand who God is and how much he loves us.

It’s no mistake that Paul says that when he visits the people of Corinth the only thing he knows is Jesus Christ and him crucified (see 1 Corinthians 2:2).

It’s a sad truth that many Christians only ever think about the crucifixion during the Easter period (and even then few ever actually think about the cross).

In my days as a Methodist Minister I always did my best to encourage people to come to church on Good Friday (a public holiday of course in the UK). This was the day to bring your family (although to be fair it wouldn’t suit younger children because it was a preaching service) and think about the central theme of our faith. Invariably the congregation would be small.

Then on another occasion when Christmas was approaching I took the theme of the cross for one of my services. I was taken to one side by one of the important members of the congregation and asked why I had chosen to talk about the cross – which was an Easter theme – when we were approaching Christmas?

Sometimes Christians develop the attitude that the cross was a defeat that God put right on Easter day. This is not true. God was as active in the cross as we was in the events of Easter. Easter helps us understand what was happening on the cross but this is not turning to defeat to victory.

If you ever feel distant from God. Think of the cross. Remember the price that Jesus paid for you.

If you are suffering and feeling that God does not care. Remember the cross and the pain and anguish Jesus took on himself. Remember that God does understand suffering. Remember that suffering does not have the final word as you remember the ressurection.

May God bless you and help you.