I am not by nature a tremendously brave man and that means that I was not a tremendously brave teen. Oh, I have done my share of things that some people think either brave or stupid, but I am far from hero material. The only way across the gorge was a fallen tree that served as a natural bridge. Everyone assured me it was safe enough, and several people walked back and forth across it with confidence. I looked over the edge and it seemed to be hundreds of feet to the bottom. Perhaps it was not the huge gorge I imagined it to be, but it was a ravine and the drop was greatly magnified no doubt by my fear. It was probably only thirty or forty feet but I knew it was further than I wanted to fall.

“The tree has been here forever”, they said. “Everyone uses it. It is perfectly safe.

All I could think in return was “It’s been here forever. That makes it all the more likely it will break.”

Eventually, with a lot of encouragement, I went across. It was not with the same bravery that my friends crossed, I sat down and scooted across on my bottom with my legs straddling the tree. Not very dignified or brave, but my thinking was if the tree broke I couldn’t do anything about it, but at least I would not fall because of my own lack of balance.

On the way back I did work up the nerve to actually walk across the log. Not with a huge amount of confidence, but I made it. I suppose in time I would have grown used to the crossing, but we never went back that way.

There is much in our Christian walk that can be compared to the log crossing incident. We need to have faith and encouragement to proceed. That is particularly true if it takes us outside our comfort zone. God calls us to trust Him and move forward.

Isaiah 30:19-21 NIV O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

The Lord coaches our way. He has walked the path ahead of us. Our job is to trust and move forward.

Perhaps the first time, you will only take tentative baby steps, or maybe move forward scooting across on your backside. Once you begin moving it is easier to continue. The hardest step is to get moving, continuing the momentum is relatively easy.

As we see our faith pay off, we are encouraged to continue. Like a muscle, faith that is exercised grows in strength and stamina.

All believers have been given a measure of faith as a gift from God. The size and power of that faith is in direct proportion to how much we exercise it. When was the last time yours was stretched?

Until next time, may you put your faith to the test.

Kevin Corbin gleanings@gleaningsfromtheword.com http://gleaningsfromtheword.com