This morning we got a scare when I got a text message that my grandson Christopher was being taken to the hospital. Christopher has had some breathing difficulties since he was very young, he is almost 2 years old now. It is very hard to see anyone sick but especially a little one and especially when they are having trouble breathing. I know how it makes you feel to have a hard time getting your breath and I can’t imagine what it does to one so little.
Anyway, Misty and I went and waited at the hospital and the Doctor said it was an Asthma attack; they gave him a prescription and told them to take him to his family doctor in the morning. This is the first time they have said it is asthma. We were relieved, Christopher was feeling better and we went to Wendy’s to get lunch before I had to leave for Tennessee. Christopher ate the best he has in a while in a restaurant. He usually just wants me to get him things form the gumball machine. But today he ate really well.
After we ate I carried him through the parking lot and I sat him down on the trunk of the car and I told him to jump. He didn’t do it. I said, come on Christopher jump, I will catch you. He wouldn’t do it. So I sat him down and said jump again and I picked him up and turned in a circle and he laughed and laughed and laughed. I sat him down again and I said “jump Christopher and I will catch you” and he jumped. It was little jumps but each time he would jump into my arms I would catch him and swing him around and he would laugh. When Christopher laughs, everybody laughs. He has one of those genuine laughs, you just can’t contain yourself, every tooth is showing and he is so happy. He learned that when I said I would catch him that I meant it.
As I was driving to Tennessee I started thinking. God says to us, jump, not off the back of the car but jump or stand up for me, you can trust me and I will catch you.
Stand up for me when someone is being picked on…..
Stand up for me when someone is being mistreated…..
Stand up for me when others are laughing at me……..
Stand up for me when you are at school……..
Stand up for me when you are at work……
God says, Jump, I will catch you and you can trust me.
There is a story from a book called “Dare to believe” written by Bob Mumford. In the book God asks the guy a question, do you trust me? The guy answers, “Of course I trust you God” so the Lord asks the man to go to the top of a 5 story building. Standing at the top, looking over the edge, the Lord says again, “Do you really trust me?” The man says “YES, I really trust you!”
So, of course, God says, “I will catch you, but I need you to jump now”! The man says, “Ok God, I really trust you, you’re going to catch me, so I’ll jump”! God says, “I will catch you, but I need you to jump now”!
The man leaps off the 5 story building and as he is passing the 5th floor he says, “Man God, I really trust you, go ahead and catch me now”! As he is passing the 4th floor the man rings out, “Wow God, you are really testing my faith, I am so glad I trust you, go ahead and catch me now”! The 3rd floor quickly is upon him and as he is passing it he begins to get very upset. “God, you said you would catch me, now you asked me to jump, I need you to hold your end of the bargain, time to catch me Lord”! He passed the 2nd floor and then the 1st floor and as he is getting ready to crash onto the side walk just a few inches below, he cries out, “GOD, YOU TOLD ME TO JUMP, YOU TOLD ME I COULD TRUST YOU AND THAT YOU WOULD SAVE ME, DID YOU LIE TO ME GOD?!”
Just a few inches from the side walk, God reaches out His hand and catches the man. As He places the man on the side walk and says, “What does it matter if I would have caught you at the 4th floor or down here just a few inches from the walk? If I say I will catch you, I will catch you”.
You know, the water didn’t part for Moses until he stepped out in it, what waters do you need God to part for you today? Take the leap; does it matter where He catches you?
Ronnie