It was just a normal Monday, as usual, a couple of weeks ago in our home. I, being a school teacher and off for the summer, was home watching our one year old son while my wife was at work. It was late morning, and my boy was crawling around the kitchen and living room like he does everyday. Now, he had been walking with assistance for a couple of weeks prior, using our couch, walls, or our hands. It was cool to witness. This particular morning however, while he was sitting on the kitchen floor, decided to use the refrigerator to help himself stand up, and then proceeded to walk on his own, unassisted, all the way to our couch. I actually said to myself, “Did that just happen?” It appeared out of nowhere. I certainly didn’t expect it to happen yet. Well, moments later, he did it again, and again, and again. Our little boy was now walking on his own! The sheer joy on his face while bopping around the house is something I’ll never forget. Although I’m sure he felt nervous and a little scared the first attempt on his own, he decided it was time to give it a shot. One of the reasons he decided to try was because he felt safe with daddy there and knew I was going to be there for him if he fell. He had trust in his father.
Much like our journey through this world and our lives, we may feel nervous and a little scared about decisions we have to make. Maybe it’s a difficult decision about discerning God’s will: where to attend church, what career to pursue, or to whom we will say, “I do.” No doubt, they’re some of the bigger decisions, but what about the everyday ones that also matter. Things like sharing our faith with a co-worker, friend, or family member. It could be discovering where to serve in our church, finding a small group to get connected, or how to balance our schedule. The list goes on and on. Consider the words of Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NKJV
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not [a]fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
Jeremiah was a priest and a prophet who answered the call of God to warn Israel of the severe consequences of breaking their covenant with God through idolatry and injustice. He predicted that the empire of Babylon would come to destroy Jerusalem and carry them into exile. And sadly, his words became reality. He lived through the siege and destruction of the city and witnessed the exile take place. He preached for over 40 years without seeing any results. From our human perspective, Jeremiah certainly lived a frustrating life. His hope never wavered, however, because he had trust in his Father. He remained faithful and 40 years after his passing, The Jewish exiles began returning home to their land.
May Jeremiah’s life be an example to all of us in how to put our faith and hope in our LORD. Even when circumstances may seem difficult or impossible, let us rise up and take those first steps. Let us have trust in our Father. He’ll not only take us to places we’ve never thought we could go, but He’ll mold us into something we’ve never been.
Wayne Errig