Kingdom Calling Blog…

If you are a regular reader of my blog (thank you for that), you will know that God communicates with me primarily through pictures, which I love (as I am a visual learner). As I typed that sentence I just realised something for the first time, that God, who knows everything about me because He created me, knows this and that’s why He chooses to communicate with me in this way! What a patient dad He is!

Yesterday as I was praying I got a picture of a tightrope walker on a high wire with a long balance pole in his hands, taking slow, steady steps across a taut wire. The walker’s foot was encased in a leather ballet style shoe (non-slip) and was gently sliding along the wire and then the other foot would go in front and slide along the wire. The wire was suspended high up between two mountains and the walker was unaided, with no safety net in sight. There was no rush involved and the walker had his eyes fixed straight ahead where he was going. There was no stopping but a steady pace forward.

I read up about tightrope walking and it’s the art of maintaining balance between two points on a tensioned wire using a balancing tool. There are different ways to do this and there is a high-wire or a sky-walk, one being performed at much greater heights than the other. The picture I saw was actually someone sky-walking as they were walking between two mountains.

I felt God saying that there are times when we are in the tension of being between two places, moving from one thing to another, a time of transition. The mountains represented this as they were far apart and involved a journey, a time of growth and change for us to get from where we are to where He wants us to be.

A high wire has to have a tension otherwise it would be too slack and the wire walker would fall and thus unable to do the walk ahead of them. You also can’t afford to stop for the same reason, as your balance is impaired. It’s better to maintain a forward momentum, there’s no going back. There’s no point in rushing the traverse either as this could also lead to losing balance, the steps should be slow and steady.

God was saying that there would be tension as He moved us from one place to another but that through the journey we just needed to keep our eyes fixed on Him and keep going. All we need to do is keep putting one foot in front of the other and not to look back, so we don’t get overwhelmed and lose our balance. Each step was like a small ‘step of faith’ and each time the foot moved God would rush in and meet it on the wire.

2Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

In the picture I had there was no safety net but I felt God say that He would be the safety net and that He had got us. Much of the learning involved on the traverse would be about trusting God with our lives, every step. As we put one foot in front of the other God wants us to feel what it is holding us up-Him. He wants us to be completely and utterly dependent on Him alone. But, as well as God being the one we lean on and keep our eyes fixed on He is also the one that helps us to keep the balance in our lives.

Have you ever seen a high wire walker? Maybe you have seen the famous French high wire walker Philippe Petit on the news or in the papers. The spectators always stand around amazed at what they see and maybe they even think he’s a little mad to what he does, risking his life for the thrill. But, just like the spectators you may have friends who see what you are doing in your life and can’t believe what you are attempting for God. Your life is a testimony of God’s grace and provision as they look at you they are witnessing something amazing as God moves you from one mountain top to the next, from one place to another. This life we lead with God is the best thrill ride you could wish for, a life packed with adventure if we will just take a step of faith.

When you finally get to the other side, just like the spectators below, you will be truly amazed and astounded when you look at where you have come from and at what you have been able to do with God as you’re everything.

God is asking, ‘Do you trust me? Then let’s go! Keep your eyes fixed on me and I will bring the balance you need as I move you from here to there. There will be tension as you step out but I will be with you, I’ve got you’.

Josh 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”