Today's Unshackled Moment gives me the opportunity to show off my grandson Baiden a little, while at the same time sharing something the Holy Spirit used this video to relay to me last night. It's hard to believe Baiden is only three years old. If you watch the video (about a minute and a half or so of precious grandson footage), you will see what he had me doing for a good portion of our time at the park together Monday morning.
He would walk that course, with me by his side, holding his hand, repeatedly. As the video shows, he steps off track twice. The first time barely slowed him down at the time and didn't make him more cautious at all. The second time however, he came off in a bigger way, and it took a little more effort on my part to keep him from falling and to get him going again. The next run through, he went a little slower, walked more carefully. Toward the end of the video I can be seen stepping further away, encouraging him to take that first step more on his own while still assuring him that I was there. We had a blast, although he wore me out. What isn't on the video is that the next half hour or so that we continued to play he decided he wanted me to race him back to the start of the course, and even allowing him to win, it was more running, starting, stopping, etc. than this out of shape body could take without hurting.
Still I wouldn't change a thing, except perhaps there would be one more video, one moment I wish we had captured that wasn't. And as seems to happen when I get to see my grandson for more than a few minutes, God uses him and our time together as an object lesson for me. Last night I came to remember and or understand three truths about my Heavenly Daddy because of this video and my memories of the the time walking this course with Baiden.
First, I wasn't going through the course with Baiden. I wasn't going up and down the different levels of steps or having to be careful of my balance. Technically I was not on or in the course at all, and yet, Baiden was not alone or on his own at any point, because though not on the course I was with him and right by his side. My feet were on solid ground. I was not going to fall or trip, so I could make sure that he was safe and secure.
Sometimes we're in the middle of an obstacle course of our own. Our day, month, year or even entire life may seem like one big struggle in an obstacle course designed to kill us. When we're in the more difficult moments it can sometimes feel like we're going through it alone. We can't believe, in the depths of who we are, that God is with us, even though Jesus promise never to leave or forsake us. I think perhaps part of the problem is that we can't imagine God in the middle of our storm. But He's not in the middle of our storm, walking our obstacle course. He's outside it and not effected by it. But He's right with us at every turn and every step ready to help us, to catch us, and even hold our hand if we'll let Him.
Secondly, sometimes we mess up. Sometimes we step off the path. Sometimes we stumble. Sometimes we start to fall. It may be that we got distracted by someone or something in the park with us. It may be that we just got excited and rushed through faster than we could safely travel our day, our course. It may be that we became too comfortable and secure and got careless. We may even do it on purpose. But if our hand is in Daddy's hand, like Baiden's was in mine, we will not fall...not off the course, damage and destruction, time to cry falling anyway. We may have to be caught and set back on the path, but through His love and grace, that can happen quickly and easily, and we can keep going.
When that happens, once we are back on path, we need to let it go. It's not time to become afraid. God just proved His faithfulness. He's not mad. Forgiveness is part of getting back where we need to be, so once we're there, it's time to simply move forward not looking back. But that doesn't mean we don't learn from what happened. Baiden failed to slow down and take more time, and he slipped from the course again the next time through. If we stumble and are kept up by grace and quick repentance and relying on Daddy, we still need to realize why it happened and adjust. If not, we will repeat the mistake, and each time we come closer and closer to a true fall because Daddy wants us to use His grace to make the adjustments and eliminate the issue. The next time through, Baiden slowed down and stayed up. It may be slowing down, it may be speeding up, but whatever is needed to keep us on the course, the grace is there to provide it. But we have to apply it. Let's do so.
Finally, sometimes it's hard to mean it when we say Lord, use me as You will, because we're afraid He will have us move outside our comfort zone. And He will. Sorry if you thought I was going to reassure you of your feeling safe and sound and comfortable. Toward the end of the video I had Baiden step toward me. Shortly after the time of the recording I asked Baiden if he wanted to walk it himself. He said, "No," and shook his head to indicate the negative. But I told him he could do it and that I would still be right there. I encouraged him to give it a try. He looked a little nervous, but he stepped out onto the first block, and made it. He grinned and his eyes were focused on the path, but there were also quick glances to my hands, no longer holding his but still right there at his sides to catch him should he slip as he made his way, more slowly but without incident through the course.
He beamed with joy when he reached the end and ran to tell Leah and Amanda that he had walked it all by himself! We went back to me holding his hand because he wanted to go fast, but he had done it. And he knew he had done it. He trusted me when I said he could, even though he wasn't sure, and he trusted me to catch him, even though I no longer had his hand in mine.
Yes, God will move us out of our comfort zone. He will stretch us. But each time He knows we are ready, even if we do not. We may no longer feel as safe and comfortable or feel His hand in ours, but the truth is that even beyond our comfort zone we are not on our own, not doing it all by ourselves (no matter what it feels like), and He is still right by our side to catch us and help us should we need it. We don't need to be afraid of stepping out where and when He asks us to. If He tells us we can do it, either we can, or He will add enough grace to make us able.
Today, let us remember that He is with us. Let us place our hand in His and walk with confidence and joy. And let us thank Him for catching us if we slip, ask forgiveness for what we did that caused it, apply the grace to adjust to keep from doing it again, but then move on as though it never happened. Let us not allow the steps behind us to control the steps ahead. And let us realize there is joy at the end of the day when we listen to God, even when He has us step out beyond our comfort zone and we feel a little more on our own.
P.S. I know I said three things, but here's a quick fourth as a bonus. Even though we are walking the path by His grace and power and He is the one enabling our victories, He still lets us have the joy of winning.
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