I’m lining up some entertainment for our family oriented “Friends of Honey Lake” event that I’m planning at our resort later this spring and I came across a guy who is a real life “horse whisperer”. He does incredible things with horses and prior to the event we arrange for someone to bring in an unbroken, (never ridden), horse. He works with the horse for only a small amount of time and then hops aboard and rides him.
Yikes!
Part of his routine is just prior to riding this often wild and unbroken horse is at the very last minute to ask his host, (in this case me…gulp), to ride it instead of him. Just as I reluctantly take the reins and nervously prepare to mount up, the horse whisperer will laugh at me and take the reins and volunteer “to take my place”. Then he explains that this is an example of how Christ took our places on the cross.
Whew!
Famous basketball handler Tanya Crevier told me that Tino Wallenda, who performs on the high wire, asked her one time to join him and ride on his shoulders as he walked the small wire suspended far above the crowd below. Tanya was afraid of heights and to further complicate things she had to climb a flimsy ladder about 10 inches wide with cables for sides and rungs that looked none too sturdy.
She nervously climbed the ladder and when she got up there, he told her not to look down and to focus her eyes straight ahead as he put her on his shoulders and traversed to the other side. (She told me Wallenda probably had a headache for days because she very tightly grabbed his hair and held on for dear life.) Tino stopped midway across the wire and told the audience that Tanya was exhibiting complete faith in him and this is what we need to do with God.
Hmmm…I have faith in God, but he gave me a brain and mine tells me not to get up on any high wire with Tino Wallenda no matter how good he is and no matter how many times he’s walked across one of these contraptions.
I realize that I’m always just a single heartbeat away from death, but not to worry, I have complete faith that I’m safely in God’s capable hands at all times. I trust God implicitly with my life and thus do not fear death. Lest you think this is mere bravado, I can say this with certainty because I have faced death numerous times and know how it feels. In fact this morning I was trying to remember all of the close calls I’ve had. Hey those cats with nine lives ain’t nuttin! It’s surreal and some might doubt, but it’s true. Consider what I can think of off the top of my head:
- Survived two head-on car crashes and three cars that turned over; (the first flipped over one and a half times and the other two rolled twice)
- Caught three times in vicious storms while fishing far offshore in the ocean and could have easily died all three times
- While hunting in Idaho I slid fifty feet down the side of a smooth granite mountain on loose gravel and narrowly avoided going over a 2000 foot sheer cliff
- Stared down the gun barrel held by a crazed robber and have been shot at on two other instances
- Beaten unconscious by gangs of thugs on two separate occasions
- Rode out Hurricane Camille and Katrina
- Overdosed on meth twice and one of those times my liver quit functioning for several days
- Chased by an enraged wild bull through vine laden woods narrowly escaping being gored; my dogs were not so lucky
- Trampled by three horses last summer
- Bitten on the leg by a five foot rattlesnake – Thank you Lord for snake proof boots
- Diagnosed with a brain tumor and given three days to live shortly after my mother and nephew both died from one – found out diagnosis was wrong after three months of thinking I would die at any moment
Today I can honestly state that I don’t fear death in the least because I know Jesus as my Lord and Savior. The Bible states that my fate was determined long before the beginning of time; God set a date for my birth and a date for me to enter heaven and nothing will change that.
So-o-o-o-o…Why worry about it?
Jesus took my place on that cross and while I might not climb a 100 foot tower to ride on Tino Wallenda’s capable shoulders, I would do so for Jesus. Too many of us live in fear of this or that and worry – worry – worry! Jesus said it is a sin to worry.
Why?
I believe it is insulting to Him. It is a sure sign that we don’t have faith that He will care for us and has a plan for our lives and that “all things will work out for the good for those who love Him”.
If you are plagued with worry this morning, shore up your faith. How do we increase faith? The Bible states that it comes from hearing the word of God. Read your Bible, pray, and have fellowship with other Christians and importantly listen to the Spirit and concentrate more on thanking God for all that He has already done for you than fearing what might happen next.
Phil. 4:6
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.