FLYING LESSONS

Only our heavenly Papa can have conversations with us that would sound like a rebuke from anyone else, but when He whispers them, we sense His great love! The conversation may approach like roaring thunder, shattering our paradigms or it may sail in like a gentle breeze revealing our need for a changed perception, but in both He draws close and touches your life and you and your perspective are forever changed. I had such a moment not long ago.

Papa told me a while back that He wanted me to live my life without a net and that I had missed opportunities to minister for Him because I had been too busy setting up nets for self-protection. Ouch! But thankfully He also shared that I didn't need to be afraid to walk on the "tightrope" because His net was ALWAYS there waiting for me. So I did just that and was able to experience new and exciting ways to serve Him. However, during a particularly difficult time a few months ago, I was crying out to the Lord that I felt like I was falling and asked Him where His net was because it seemed certain I was about to hit the ground. Do you know what He whispered to my heart? He said "Sandy, sometimes when it feels like you’re falling, you are just learning to fly!"

To be honest, it didn’t feel much like flying at the time and I still wanted assurance of Papa’s net, but they never came. Just like the mother eagle does to her eaglets that have grown too big to live in the nest, Papa instead, little by little, pulled out the cushy feathers that lined the nest of my life, making it uncomfortable and even downright painful at times. As I peered over the edge of what had been my comfy nest, the ground below looked far away and taking that first step was unthinkable! My heart was brimming with trepidation as I envisioned that out-control feeling that would envelop me if I jumped out from my familiar place of security.

But whether due to a desire for obedience or a simple reluctance to possibly miss His best for me, I’ve decided to jump.

Admittedly, my first "flying lessons" have been awkward and seem more like falling than flying, but Papa is a good Father who knows my limits and my future, so He spurs me on with dreams of flying and promises of His providential care. When I get in trouble, His mighty wings swoop under me to keep me from hitting the ground and I finally realized that the net He mentioned earlier was in reality, not a net at all, but the safety of His ever present arms!

Dear one, you too are safe in the caress of His mighty wings! He knows your limits AND your future and you cannot be all He created you to be if you stay in the comfort of your spiritual nest! Have things become less comfortable in your life? Maybe He is trying to spur you on with dreams of flying and perhaps Papa has some "flying lessons" on your horizon too. Be bold and take the first step! Will it be frightening? Maybe, but if you have grown as much as you can in your little nest, perhaps He is calling you to take that leap of faith, trusting that He will never let you hit the ground!

So as we take this leap, even though it may feel as if we are jumping off a cliff into the darkness of the great unknown, we need to imagine in our mind’s eye that we are learning to fly! I am so very thankful that as we falter in our early "flying lessons" that Papa will "bear us up as on eagle's wings". Through all of our failed attempts, false starts and the turbulent winds that threaten to destroy us, He is there! Waiting. Let us jump with reckless abandon, knowing that underneath are His everlasting arms….and let’s fly!

Papa,
We long to soar to new heights and experience every single good thing that You have envisioned for our lives…but sometimes the bold steps that You are calling us to seem scary and we are hesitant to move from the safety of the familiar. Please come and help us to discern Your clear guidance and encourage our hearts to trust in your continual care! Remind us kind Father that each and every call to soar above our comfort zone is an invitation to scale the heights with You; for we are never left to fledge alone! Amen