Climb but don’t look down.

People often say when climbing don’t look down, especially when you start to get pretty high up, even more so when you hate heights to start with. Personally I’m not that into heights, once i’m safe enough and have my feet on solid ground I’m ok but the climbing, slipping, fear numbing part doesn’t make me smile. Looking down from a great height can be a massive distraction, you begin to think about the what ifs, what if I can’t do it, what if I fall, what if this is it, the end, you get into this tension of I can’t move down but I can’t move up either. You also get struck by fear, I don’t like heights, why am I up here, I’m scared and desperate, I want this to be over, I can’t believe I got into this. Fear grabs you and doesn’t let go, nobody likes that feeling.

When we look at different characters in the Bible we see different situations come before them, occasions when they have every right to get distracted, to be grabbed by fear and not run into what God has for them. Looking at how they respond can teach us and do us so much good, looking briefly at Abraham and Elijah we see this very different response. When God spoke to both of them they didn’t look down, they didn’t waiver or wobble but they stepped into Godly confidence and went forth into God’s plans. When God spoke to Abraham to go into the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1), he was already 75 years old and God was asking him to go to a new land, to start over and to follow the voice of the Father. We read that Abraham (Abram as he was called at that point) went as the Lord had told him (Genesis 12:4), there was no argument, no weighing up of pro’s and con’s, no talk of his retirement plan, he heard God so he went. With Elijah who comes onto the scene in the old testament, we read he was a man just like us and a man who heard from the Lord. God gave him the opportunity to speak with King of the time, Elijah told King Ahab what God had spoken clearly to him, that there would be a drought and that no rain would fall until he says. (1 Kings 17:1) Let’s be honest, out of the things we would like to do and say to people that would not be top of my list, however God spoke to Elijah clearly and so he went in confidence, he even begins the conversation by stating that he stands before God, that is his starting point, Elijah is obedient to the call of God and does not look down.

Sally and I have been in Fredericton Canada for over 2 months now after God spoke to us years ago about moving here to be part of the Church. Leading up to moving we felt like we were climbing a great height, it was a huge challenge to listen to the voice of God and be obedient in its entirety. On many occasions we needed the reminder and encouragement of not looking down, to step into this God story, this plan of God, when we lifted our eyes and focused in on Jesus we knew what the right response was. Now we are here is it still a work in progress? Most certainly, 2 months in and it’s very much a challenge without a doubt. There are still many parts to scale and climb, we have to continue daily to not look down, to not be grabbed by fear or distracted with the what ifs. The part with which we hang on tightly to is that God has spoken, when it gets really tough, that’s where we go, when we want to give up, that’s where we go, when we are having a great time and see all of His amazing promises come through, that is where we go.

I hope this encourages you to climb but not to look down, When God has spoken, confidently move into that and say I stand before God, nothing else takes that place. When God speaks it is often into something that stretches us, but remember it is stretching you for growth.

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