Thursday, April 3, 2014

Fall, Don't Jump

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" Romans 6:1

 Dressed in dazzling costumes, a man and a woman are flying high on a trapeze. They do frightening feats with amazing precision as show lights follow their every move. With craned necks attached to heads angled upwards, the crowds suck in a collective gasp whenever the athletes' hands leave the swinging bars. Everyone understands that gravity never takes a vacation and a tiny slip will send the artists plummeting.

The performers seem fearless. Is it because they know the net below will catch them if they fall? Why don't they just jump to the net since it's there?

They don't jump for the same reason a growing Christian doesn't sin on purpose just because she knows the net of God's grace will catch her.

Jesus came so that you may have abundant life. I am sure that does not involve jumping to the grace net with the excuse that nobody is perfect and God will get over it when we ask for forgiveness. 

What about you? Have you slowly become a jumper? Perhaps a grudge has lingered too long in your heart and has started to sprout roots. Have lies become easier to tell? Maybe you've let your standards slip about gossip or foul language. Have God's commandments become only  suggestions? Have you slowly begun compromising where you once were committed to remain pure? 


If so, your Father says it's time to come back home. It's time to leave the crowded net of jumpers who have quit trying. It is time to allow His Spirit to empower you to once again soar toward Christ-likeness.  


Yes, you will fail sometimes. But let His net of grace catch you because you fell while trying to fly, not because you bypassed the Spirit's gravity (i.e. sin)- defying power and jumped straight to the net. 

Fall, don't jump.

Talk About It: What advantage do you think there is in falling through trying as opposed to being sloppy about your walk with God because His forgiveness is there? Or do you even believe forgiveness is granted if you are not really trying?

1 comment:

  1. I spent many years of my life thinking God would never forgive the horrible things I had done. However, a beautiful group of ladies opened my eyes to the true meaning of God's grace; thus, I do believe forgiveness is granted, even if we are not consciously trying. Subconsciously, as a Christian, I believe I was always trying to win God's affection, even when my walk was a bit "sloppy", leading me to fall even when I thought I was taking a huge jump!

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