O.K. Jump!

Those were not the exact words Jesus used as He challenged Peter at the time of their first meeting; nor does He say that to us without preamble. Trusting someone, some thing is often a slow process. He said “Follow me” after some demonstration of His power. Even against Peter’s doubts for success, He said; lower your nets and they returned with a miraculous harvest.

Seldom did Jesus ask for blind faith before he summoned anyone. There are a stream of incidents in the Bible which speak to the fact that His acts; miracles of healing, provision, casting out, and shaping almost always proceeded His call.

We may recall the fear of a young child as he (she) stood at the edge of the pool as we said; “O.K. Jump! Then we said; “It’s O.K. I gotcha”. What goes through a childs mind is; Who are you? A would be follower of Jesus’ time would say; ” Are you really who you say you are?” The child would say; “Where’s mommy or daddy?” Where is the one with whom a strong relationship was built, before that scary situation presented itself, and I am encouraged to risk my safety, perhaps my life.

Fast forward. That same child may now be perched upon the three meter board, ready to do a one-and- a half with a full twist. It was the process of growing there, step by step that made the difference.

Some of us may be shaped by miracles, but only a few. We build trust and our own confidence by the steady process of God’s assurances that He is there to catch us. God prepares us more often with unscripted reaches into our lives. We often refer to them as “happy accidents” or good karma.
They come as a surprise because we were not looking for them; often not even asked for. If these incidents are to blow right by us without our putting them into our pockets as evidence of God’s love, we will never make it to the three meter board. The best that we might do is a cannonball from the low board; not to disparage the acts of anyone who actually get into the pool the best way he can – even to just paddle around. Empowerment comes next as we risk and trust.

There is that magic time in everyone’s life when we feel our potential because we first took that simple encouragement that says; “I gotcha” from ANY believable source, but especially from our Maker who takes it a step further and says; Now YOU do it. Try it. YOU da man!”

And then we do it; in faith, trust and Spiritual empowerment, SPLASH!

We then have come a long way from shivering on the edge of the pool where blind faith threatened to thrust us into the arms of a stranger, and we froze.

We have the power as we have heard His voice so many times, and we have touched His very wounds.