Scary Exciting Faith Responses

For Lord’s Day, February 25, 2023,

Dear Saints,

A few weeks ago, I was nudging Gabriel along in the Church parking lot to get more used to riding his big boy bike with training wheels.  He took a while to let it take, as he kept insisting he was quite content with his little boy bike that should have passed on to Gideon by now (very tiny, no pedals, completely toes to ground propelled).  I knew it was time, as with the five children before him, to make him practice with Dad’s hand on the back of his seat (no “no’s” would be heeded at this point).

After a little while, he began to move from tentative to exhilarated–especially when he learned how to use his brakes and had a whole new sense of empowerment (and that for the last stretch back toward the van I hadn’t been holding him, though I kept close).  He went from furrowed brow to irrepressible smiles.  It is always so much fun to watch this transformation in our children.

Instead of defiant denials of any interest in ever learning to ride his big boy bike, as we put it in the back of the van to make our way to the nearby playground he said he was “King of the World!” (and some pretty nice things about Daddio too, which was also a change of mood and expression from about 20 minutes before 😉 ).

But it is what Gabe said to me as we were about to turn out of the parking lot that was profound and I want to share with you:  “Daddy, scared and happy are pretty close.”

Wow.  What I think he was philosophizing about is that the feelings one has with anticipating doing something new that we’re afraid to try but know we should are not so dissimilar (and actually closely related) to when we step out in a scary faith response and experience the excitement of trusting our Father to keep us upright and moving forward in new degrees of growth through the entire process of stepping out with our first foot forward and watching Him part the waters before and around us.

Beloved, what new thing have you been afraid to try but know it’s time to take the training wheels off?  Go for it.  Trust the Lord.  He won’t let you fall, other than to learn how to get up and stay up at the right times (as He lifts you back onto your seat and straightens your handle bars, puts your hands back on the grips, and reminds you not to look down but forward).  And you’re about to transition from anticipation to exhilaration with the overlapping and closely connected aspects of the same experience that stay with you: scary and happy all wrapped up together as part of the whole experience of trusting and growing with God.

Remember,

  • “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18).
  • “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7).
  • “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15 ).

Semper Reformanda,

Pastor Grant

PS: what a great Homemakers Men Cook Breakfast this morning!  Click here to enjoy some photos of the fellowship together.

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