Trusting He’s Got You

But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Isaiah 52:12

Imagine skydiving. Picture yourself standing at an open doorway of an aircraft. The adrenaline is pumping. You’re surrounded by professionals who have done this hundreds of times. They’re all smiles. At the right time, you drop out of the plane into the sky with the instructor attached, descending at a rate of 100 miles per hour, if not more. As the earth rushes up, the instructor looks at his wrist altimeter and at a specific moment pulls a cord. You drift side to side and aim for a designated spot to end the journey. As your air speed slows, you catch your breath and start to enjoy the scenic views. Clouds. Mountains. The different shades of the terrain. Without someone pulling the cord, you would be accelerating too quickly and miss the view of the earth and sky from this height. But when the cord was pulled, the parachute caught you, allowing a more controlled decent to your destination.

After we initially receive a diagnosis, we might feel as if we’re free-falling. We struggle to understand what the doctor is saying. We try to come up with sensible questions. We nod as if we comprehend the doctor’s statements, but as soon as we step out the office door, life rushes at us as we try to digest what this information means for our future.

If we’re followers of Christ, God stands ready to catch us. As we free-fall in a haze of confusion, God catches us and guides us to a safe landing. Some days it might feel as though our symptoms are battering us, blowing us randomly across the landscape of life. But our instructor and guide has us in the grip of his hand.

The strong hands of God twisted the crown of thorns into a crown of glory; and in such hands we are safe.

Charles Williams

Adversity is always unexpected and unwelcomed. It is an intruder and a thief. But in the hands of God, adversity becomes the means through which his supernatural power is demonstrated.

Charles Stanley

Destiny waits in the hand of God, not in the hands of statesmen.

T. S. Eliot

For Further Reflection

John 14:16–18; Deuteronomy 31:8; Isaiah 41:10

Today’s Prayer

Lord, thank you for always having my back, for always catching me when I jump. As I face this new trail, please help me remember you still have my back. Amen.