Leaping

Well, here I am leaping

Kind of like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. You know, the scene where he has to step out into nothing. He commits all his weight to the venture and risks falling to his doom. Then out of nowhere a bridge appears, a bridge that can only be seen from the position of one who has already lept and is standing out over the abyss.
God is so like that.
I am so very tired of the status quo. My faith has met with fatal frustration. If I continue to stand on the brink of this crevass and refuse to jump, surely my enemy, apathy, will hunt me down and suck me dry. However, if I jump....
I must be willing to take that leap of faith, to jump out into the unknown if I want to see the book of Acts come to life in my life.
I must be willing to risk dying, dying to my flesh, dying to my need to be right, dying to my need for recongnition, dying to my pride.

Desire.....
I want to demonstrate the power of God in the marketplace
I want to speak a word of knowledge to someone I've never met and have them encounter the God of personal encounters
I want to touch the sick and have them recover
I want to see bread multiplied to the poor
I am tired of all the words, words, words
I want to do the stuff!

Cool story.....

FYI
I am afraid of any water I cannot see the bottom in. Afraid enough to panic and drown, however swimming is one of my favorite past times

Story involving dolphins
I recently visited Panama City Beach Florida. They call it the Emerald Coast. The sea is like green sea glass and the sand is soft as baby powder.
While snorkling close to the rocks of the breakwater in depths that were nothing to write home about I (and the small group of folks with me) spotted dolphins. They had come in close to shore on the heels of a small speed boat. (By close, I mean a couple of hundred yards). Delight thrilled me and I swam a little distance from the safety of the rocks toward them. But alas, they were out in deeper water, far deeper than I'd ever dare to swim in for I certaintly would not be able to see the bottom.
That was my moment of truth
If I chose to stay within my comfort zone, within the safety of the known, I would miss my chance to waltz with wild dolphins. Desire pulled at me and fear clung to the back of my neck. The others with me lept ahead into the jade water, chasing after their elusive quarry. The longer I waited, the further I got left behind...left behind
My moment hung suspended. How could I miss such an exquisite opportunity?! I threw all caution to the wind and dove into the quickly deepening waters. I choked back panic, refusing to allow fear to steal my prize. At all cost, I would follow these fantastic creatures.
For a brief second I took my eyes off the prize and looked into the unknown depths around me. I almost faultered. I know what Peter must have felt like when he walked on water. Fear washes over you and snatches away your breath. But when I looked again at the magnificent creatures just yards beyond me, wonder overcame fear. They were sleek and graceful, a mother and her young one. I came so close I nearly touched them. Fear completely lost its hold on me and my reward will remain with me till the end of my days.

This is what it means to me to take a leap of faith, to dive into the depths of God, to encounter HIM outside my safe zone, to risk losing my reputation, or my pride, to risk even losing friends and fellow church goers who simply do not understand my blinding passion. When the prize of the reality of the Kingdom of God fills my vision, all fear loses its foothold. When the thrill of encountering the God Who encounters fills me, I will leap. I am committed and there is no going back because I cannot afford to be left behind.