Thanks for the hand

I’m reminded or the joke about a person that was walking along the top of a high cliff admiring the view of the ocean as it stretched out into the distant horizon, when in a moment of distraction, they lost their footing and began to fall towards the rocks below. Thrusting out their hand in absolute panic they managed to grab hold of a small tree growing out from the baron cliff face. Hanging there, with no way up and only one way down the person in desperation cries out, “Help, is there anybody up there?” To their shock they hear a voice speak back, “Yes it’s me, God, just let go and I will catch you.” Pausing a moment to take in the unexpected reply the person then calls out again, “Is there anybody else up there!?”

I don’t know about you but if I wake in the middle of the night and start thinking about something that’s concerning me it seems to have the potential to escalate from concern to anguish way quicker than it might have if I was thinking about the same thing during the day. I suspect that’s due to feelings of hopelessness that can come from being alone in the dark. With no point of reference for a healthy perspective our feelings can quickly take us to places of despair.

A number of months ago I was driving to Cambridge to see some clients. With a half hour drive ahead of me, my mind drifted to thinking about the state of our Nation … and where we’re heading as a society … and what our country might look like in twenty years’… and the effect that might have on my children … and more particularly my grandchildren … and then to top it off it looks like there’s a virus that’s threatening to spread its way around the whole world!

I was building up a full head of steam in my ‘escalating rant’ when I was stopped short by a sense that God had entered into my conversation and was saying to me “Alan the issues you’re going on about are not the real issue, ‘I’ AM’ (a name God gave himself in the Old Testament). Your puffing and panting and ranting and raving haven’t finally got my attention about the woes of the world, I am fully aware of what’s going on. I’ve got the big picture; you just do what your called to do.”

When I heard Him say that to me, I instantly felt a burden lift from my shoulders. It was a great relief to be reminded that despite all that’s happening He’s still in control.

Anxiety and fear are not primarily generated from the situations we find ourselves in but from the view we have of those situations.

We don’t know what the future holds but there’s a wonderful reassurance available when we reach out and take hold of the hand of the one who does.

All the best in your bubbles and beyond

Regards, Alan