There is a story about a man who walked a tight-rope across the Niagara Falls with a crowd watching. After he finished, he walked across the falls on the tightrope while pushing a wheelbarrow with his dog in it. Finally, after he did that, he walked across with his son in the wheelbarrow. When he finished, he asked a man in the crowd. “Do you think I could do that again?” the man answered, “yes.” He asked the man again, “are you really sure I can do that again?” the man said with confidence, “definitely.” Then the tight rope walker said to the man, “get in the wheelbarrow.”
In Luke 24:38, after Jesus rises from the dead, he visits the disciples and says, “Why are you frightened? Why are your hearts filled with doubt?”
As humans, we may seem to have great confidence in our opinions and beliefs, but sometimes we don’t believe enough to have the confidence to overcome our emotions and our logic. For the spectator and the tightrope walker, it is overcoming the fear that even though he saw the tightrope walker perform the stunt three times, he could not overcome his fear and get in the wheelbarrow, because of the potential risks.
In the case of the disciples, their logical minds had trouble accepting what they were seeing, Jesus alive, in the flesh, after they watched him be crucified.
It takes boldness and confidence in God’s commitment to be with us, for us to overcome our logic and our emotions and do what we know God wants us to. Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Dear Lord, When we are afraid, or our logic conflicts with our faithful following of your will, you can give us the strength to overcome. Help us overcome these obstacles to act for you. Help us realize each time we do, we have become more capable to overcome the next obstacle. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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That was good…. Every message better than the last.. The more we gave our fears the more we are able to handle the complications that may come with it or, that we may even put on ourselves.
Thank you for that… I always look forward to getting these every morning before I start my day
John, Excellent devotional this morning.
I have just been offered a wheel barrow ride!!!
I remember this story. What a great comparison. I once knew of a missionary who had seen people raised from the dead, folks healed from leprosy and eyes and limbs grow back. When I mentioned this to a pastor he laughed not believing a bit of it.
So here was a man who stood in the pulpit each week preaching the word of God and not believing what it said.
In John 14:12 Jesus says that whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Peter got out of the boat and soon he started to sink, but he did get out of the boat. Most, including myself, don’t bother to get out of the boat and some, even though they go to church, aren’t even in the boat.
We have been blessed and given much favor by our Lord but this has made us anemic in our faith. If things go bad then we hit our knees but as long as our walls of Jericho are still intact we could care less. Our churches have program after program, but spend less time or no time praying for childlike faith.
God wants to increase our faith. He wants a body of believers who believe and trust on Him and not the things of this world. He wants a truly personal relationship with us. Amen! In His presence we will experience His power in our lives and that’s when everything changes for us.
Brothers and sisters! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! He is the way, the truth and the light. Believe and trust in His word. Read it! Meditate on it and pray, pray, pray. Prayer changes things and mostly within yourself. We are nothing if we’re not prayer warriors.
Forgive us Lord for our lack of faith. Forgive us for being more worldly and not Godly. Whatever we can do today Lord, help us do that. Bless Your name Oh Lord. Your Holy name. In Jesus name , Amen !
I was told that worry is an insult to God.