Firm Faith: Reaching up and planting our feet with God

A while back as I returned from a consulting engagement, I was late connecting with a flight because we took off late in Charlotte. For me, it seems to happen more often in Charlotte, but that is a story for another time. As I ran through the airport dodging slow-moving and fast-moving walkers, wheeling my roller bag and packing my backpack, I attempted to look at my phone to see if the flight was boarding. And I ran right into a gentleman. As I apologized and explained why I was rushing (and distracted), I must have mentioned my flight number. The man began to laugh. And then he said, “You might as well relax and take your time. They can’t fly the plane without the pilot, and I am the pilot of that flight. I will be there ahead of you, so you will be right on time.”

As I walked, I thought about what had just happened. In this world that we live in, we get distracted constantly. And when things don’t go right, we get worried. And the more distracted we are about the present circumstances, the more worried we get about what could happen or what might happen. But there is a reason why we really shouldn’t worry about tomorrow. Scripture gives us a specific cure for worry and anxiety and that is to trust God and turn our worries over to Him. It says, “Do not be frightened or dismayed for the Lord will be with you wherever you go.” In fact, the reason that we don’t have to worry is that He will be there before we are!

On a subsequent trip, my flight was delayed by two hours so I headed to a restaurant to see if I could catch the game and get something to eat. Just as I was seated, a receiver on the team that I was cheering for reached up way over his head, caught the ball as he was going out of the back of the end zone and got his feet down. The play was remarkable because he did well to just reach the ball, but to also get his feet down was amazing. Because he wouldn’t have scored if he didn’t get his feet on the ground and he wouldn’t have even caught the ball if he didn’t reach up. I began thinking. It was Sunday and normally I would be in church. And that play reminded me that we need to keep our feet firmly planted, we need to have a strong foundation, but we also need to reach up to God every day.

It is not a once-a-week thing. It is not just on Sundays. We wouldn’t think of taking a shower on Sunday and then not taking another one until the next Sunday. Some people go to church on Christmas and Easter. What if we only showered on those two days each year? Every day we should reach to the sky. Every day we should seek God in prayer, in meditation, and by reading devotions or scripture. And every day we should have our feet planted on solid foundations.

As I walked through the garage and in the back door, returning from this trip I saw the plaque that is right beside the door in our mudroom. It says, "Those who have faith in the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount up on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow tired, they will walk and not become weary.”

This does not mean that we sit around thinking pious thoughts and expect God to do it all. Nor does it mean running around in endless activities trying to do it all by ourselves. It is a walk with the only one who knows the way, and the truth, and has the life to make it possible.

So, what kinds of things will we learn if we walk with Him? We learn to take one day at a time and trust Him for tomorrow. We learn the priority of relationships. We learn to love people and use things—instead of loving things and using people. We learn what it means to be compassionate.

With all the harshness and vulgarity surrounding us in this world, we are invited, daily, to walk with a gentle God. How much can we really accomplish if we operate all by ourselves? How much can we accomplish if we do nothing and expect God to do everything? Both answers are nothing. There is an old proverb that says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”

God invites us to walk with him on a firm foundation. And to reach for Him every day—not just on Sundays. He wants us to reach for him when we are anxious, worried, or just need direction, because he has already arrived wherever we are going. Psalm 84 says, "I will meet you every day with fresh strength and grace. You are not walking this journey alone."

I need to remember that more often—how about you?