Back in the 1970’s I saw a Ziggy cartoon that reminded me that I am not always the best judge of what is good. In the cartoon, Ziggy is walking at night along a steep cliff. At some point he trips and ends up going over the edge of the cliff. As he tumbles down the steep embankment, he desperately grabs onto a small root that is sticking out of the hillside. As he hangs there, surrounded by darkness, he starts to cry out for help. “Help! Somebody, please help me! God if you can hear me, please help! Help!” Suddenly out of the darkness God’s voice booms, “Let go.” There is a pause and then Ziggy replies, “Is there anyone else up there?” In the next cartoon panel, you are able to see what Ziggy cannot see because of the darkness. He is only about 3 feet from the ground. It takes real faith sometimes to just trust God and let go.
Over the course of my life, in fact, on numerous occasions God has given me directions that did not immediately connect with how I wanted to see things go. It was only by acting in faith that I was able to see and receive God’s provision, protection, and purpose for my life. Isaiah the prophet wrote, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT) When we let go of our way and go His way, we are able to receive blessing that we deeply desire and desperately need.
Pastor John (PJ)