“Take the step!” I can still hear the words of the slightly irritated Drill Instructor clanging across my memory. He continued in the face of the reluctant young man, “Step off the edge! You can do this!”
We were learning high-angle rescue on the side of a 100’ limestone cliff. The first skill to obtain was basic rappelling. In my previous years on the wild side, I spent many afternoons climbing, rappelling, and even a bit of spelunking. However, quite a few in my unit had never touched a climbing rope let alone dangle from a static line on the side of a mountain.
“Trust the rope!” The DI yelled, “It can safely hold 2,700 pounds. It’s not going to break!”
The fear-inducing moment was not putting on the harness, clipping the carabiner, or threading the rescue-8 belay device, but that first step over the lip and into the wide-open abyss. Their minds would spin, hands would begin to shake and sweat, and knees would knock. Terror squeezed their throat as they gasped for air. There they stood with their heels frozen to the crusty corner of the cliff. Unable to budge one inch.
“Close your eyes… trust the rope,” This time the captain, a gentler soul, gave the young man reassurance. He made the difference. “Do you trust the rope to hold you?” he asked.
“Yes, yes, sir,” the recruit replied. “Ok, then take the step,” the captain said calmly.
And he did.
You and I are faced with moments when our faith in God calls us to take the step. We must choose to trust that God will hold us and guide us through what looks like a cavernous, dangerous abyss. But the Word in our hands and the Spirit in our hearts reassure us. God calls us to ask our souls, “Do you trust God?”
Yes, yes, we do.
We take the step and find Him already there – waiting, watching, and always with us.
So, Paul exhorted the Corinthian believers, “…for we walk by faith, not by sight – we are of good courage.” (2 Cor. 5:7-8a)
What crux are you facing? Take the step. Trust the God who placed you there for His good purposes. He will hold you and guide you.
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This coming Sunday, as I continue our preaching series at the Wright-Patterson AFB Chapel, we will discover Ruth facing a pivotal moment. She must take the step – not seeing or knowing the potential outcome. I’m looking forward to diving into this story again with you!
