When Life and Faith Are "On the Line"

So many verses came to my mind as I anxiously watched Nik Wallenda walk a tightrope across the Grand Canyon. 

Left up to me, I would not have watched, and I tried not to. Looking back, that glaringly demonstrated just how little faith I had in His capabilities for Nik. I'm not alone. C'mon, admit it...YOU thought he was outta-his-mind N-U-T-S just like I did, a devout Christian. What a laugh. What a pathetic laugh.

So why DID I watch? I watched because I was watching my husband's reaction to all of this. My husband seems to enjoy watching potentially dangerous shows, and the more death-sure, the better! "We're all inevitably gonna die sometime!" I am SO not wired like that.

There was something very different about THIS show, though. This involved a Christian gentleman of deep, genuine, devout, and evidently divine faith with God ... such profound faith we've not seen since Daniel in the Lion's den or the Furnace. Hubby is a people watcher. He is fascinated by how people handle themselves through extraordinary circumstances. This particular envelop wasn't even thought of before, let alone pushed and done. Nik Wallenda was literally putting his LIFE and FAITH  on the line.

God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.
LOL, while "sound mind" might've been in question here, it is wonderfully obvious that Nik has experienced Power and Love on his walk across the Grand Canyon. It was also obvious that God blessed him with a sense of amazing focus (this is the sound mind we need to speak more about,lol).
Rejoice ever more. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks. What better opportunity to do this than while doing this crazy stunt? I must say, though, it was VERY encouraging to listen to him chat with God. He DID give thanks to God for every little thing, any little thing he could think of...whatever crossed his mind, he gave thanks and praise. He was free about it, like this is an automatic practice for him. Out of the heart flows the issues of life. He did not speak panicked fear...he spoke confidence in His Saviour being with him literally every step of the way.
He had a few moments in which some outside  forces could have given him trouble. A few times he asked the Lord to quiet the winds. ..."What manner of man is this, that even the winds and seas obey Him?" Even to this day, we often forget that the Lord can and does control the winds and other elements on this earth. It is obvious that Nik has practiced and has first-hand knowledge that only the Lord can control his environmental conditions.
Nik was very realistic in knowing when his mind was attempting to play tricks on him, when he needed to talk to himself, when he needed to quiet and rest his mind and body for a few moments. His father was extremely encouraging, gently urging him on, that he was in good shape, reminding him that whatever particular situation is nothing new to him, just refocus. The communication between father and son was soothing and comfortable. The communication between Father and son was even more comfortable. 

When he reached near the end, I must readily admit (again, I know I'm not the only one!!) that everything I had just witnessed up to this point flew out the window the moment he stopped, air-kissed his family in celebration before he got to the last few feet and ran across the wire onto solid ground. Even my husband was extremely nervous about that last pseudo-stunt!! I mean, "DUDE, you're SO CLOSE...don't mess up NOW!!!!!"

Throughout it all, Hubby cheered him on, but he was also rooted in doubt that he could actually make it. Every step he took made him feel hopeful for him, but it also made him even more anxious for him, too! He reacted more about this event than anything I've ever seen him react.  He actually told me that he would feel absolutely horrible if he had died while doing this (a very rare response from him about death in general). I'm so very thankful for the 10-second delay that programming was supposedly set for in case anything tragic happened, but the entire time was extremely intense and almost unbearable. 

For me, watching this man of faith LIVING in faith, in face of what had to otherwise be insurmountable fear, was actually a pretty exhilarating experience! What was even more marvelous is the fact that Hubby watched, with his own eyes, a death-defying, divine-inspired, modern-day miracle, and HE KNEW IT! He actually said that, for all the training, knowledge, scientific studies, he saw that God had a Hand in this all along.  I am praying for some dialogue with him. In the meantime, I need to straighten some things out for myself, too.

So, what about me? Watching this evidence of extraordinary faith play out has made me painfully realize just how little my faith truly was. I had forgotten that God is involved in our ev-er-y-day, ordinary lives, with typically ordinary little problems and even little "need" for faith. How shameful. Father, please forgive me for wandering away from you. Jesus, please help my mind match my spirit in knowing that you ARE WITH ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY in my life. I guess I thought of myself higher than I should've, as evidenced by someone who really and truly not only stepped out on faith, did something more miraculous than walking on water (which Jesus DID promise could happen!), but put his life and faith on the line for the world to see. To God be the Glory!