Recently there have been a couple of really crazy things done by some daredevils. One that was completely nuts was the feat of Luke Aikens from Grahm, WA.   He dove out of an airplane at 25,000 feet with out a parachute. He did have a safety net, but that is all he had. So many things could have gone wrong that would have resulted in his death. But through his skill and fortune he was successful and landed in the net. 

A second daredevil was a fellow by the name of Nik Wallenda. He did something that was at least similarly dangerous. He first walked across the Grand Canyon on a tight wire without a safety net. Wind gusts, stretching wire, the concentration needed, all of it came together with his incredible walk. He too could have been killed had something gone wrong.

There is a part of us that likes the crazy adventure aspect of what these people did. But the more reasonable part of us understands that what they did was simply a special brand of insanity. In both of these instances there were no do overs, there was no grace, and there was no opportunity for failure. I am so glad our Savior had a better plan than to have us walking without a net. Jesus Christ is our safety net.

 It is not that we can somehow take sin less seriously or have no concern for sin. Sin is horrible and it always introduces death into what ever it touches. Sins natural consequences should be enough to deter us, but all too often they do not. We hypothesize, rationalize, or in some other way justify our sin. Our hearts are deceitful and will convince us that it is ok, its not. But imagine the fear, the paralysis of that would occur if there was no safety net. Constantly afraid of failure, impurity, fear would be our new master.   How great the fathers love for us …… and it is His love that drives out fear. Without fear we can dare be in the world but not of it. Without fear we take on great challenges, even in our human frailty. Without fear we can know that we are not in relationship with Christ because of our perfection, but rather it is because of His perfection. 

This week continuing on in looking at The Promises we will be looking at the promise of forgiveness. How blessed we are to have a safety net.

 See you at church,

 Pastor Chris