Followers

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

A leap of faith


There we stood, half a dozen people, leaning over a rail, watching the water, waiting patiently. It wasn't a big waterfall by anyone standards, but there again it wasn't the water that interested us, not even what was in the water, but just for a moment what hung above it, hurling itself upwards. Salmon leaping has just got to be one of the most awesome sights of nature.

Something inside compels them to head back to the water where they were born. An irresistible urge, a suicide gene, draws them on to swim against the tide. No hurdles are too high, no foes are too fierce, to stop them.

Did you know that they listen to the water? Before they attempt to jump, they wait for just the right amount of water to flow at just the right temperature. They gather just enough oxygen, and with one spectacular burst of energy they make their jump. If they fail that first time to hurtle over the obstacle, they have to wait another six or seven hours to replenish their strength. And then they try again, and again, and again.

How often do we look at obstacles in our way and see them as too big? Heaven is birthed in our hearts and yet we are earth bound. We don't listen to the Spirit, we don't wait for His timing, we don't gather His resources, and then with a burst of our own strength we make our move. When we don't hurtle over our obstacle, do we try again?

Just as we watched the salmon, urging it to make the leap and willing them to clear the waterfall, angels watch us, urging us to make our leaps of faith, willing us to soar above our obstacles!

2 comments:

Shelley L. MacKenzie said...

What a good post. I would never have thought to even be able to use an example like the salmon. It seems like we are like them in many cases. Making the effort to do something, failing or not having it turn out right, and then having to wait for some time before we even try to attempt it again...if we ever do. The bible tells us to persevere, to press on and that is what we must do.

Bonnie S. Calhoun said...

I like that example. I'm going to borrow the thought to use in church, if you don't mind. Sometimes the problem with Christians is that they sit there forever waiting for that one moment of same feeling to happen again before they move! They need to step out in the faith that the Lord supplies us with everyday!