Free Fallin'

She's definitely a daddy's girl, and she loves for her father to tuck her in at night. Every night before her bedtime story and night time prayer, she would climb to the edge of the bed, turn backward and free-fall. Her 4 year-old self has an immense amount of confidence in her father. She trusts him to be there to catch her. That's why she loves the "free-fall game." She knows she can climb to the edge, close her eyes, put her arms straight up in the air and fall backward because she trusts that she will fall safely and securely in the arms of her father.

One day, her father was out of town, and her mother was left to tuck her in. Like routine, she ran to her room, climbed to the edge of the bed, put her arms in the air, closed her eyes, and she fell backward. Her mother wasn't prepared nor was she watching as her daughter hit the ground and started crying. In shock, her mother asks, "What happened?!" "Daddy always catches me," she cried.

The very next evening, daddy was home, and she eagerly ran to her room and completed her nightly routine of free falling. She completely forgot about the horrible fall she experienced the night before. She completely forgot about being hurt, and she was confident the outcome of her "free fall game" would end with her safe in the arms of her father. And you know what? She was right. She fell time and time again; trusting her father every step of the way. Children trust ruthlessly.

A friend reminded me the other day about "childlike faith," and I've been holding on to that principle for the last few days. I had to remind myself to free fall with God - to let go of all control and trust that He'll lead, guide and even catch me. I love this quote by Brennan Manning, "Without exposure to potential failure, there is no risk." We don't grow in faith and trust because we're afraid to risk. We don't want to fail, so we take control of our lives when in fact, we never truly had control to begin with. We've got to have radical dependence in God.

This week, let's ravish the heart of God with our unwavering trust.

"When I am most afraid, I put my trust in you; in God whose word I praise, in God I put my trust, fearing nothing; what can men do to me?" (Ps. 56:3-4)
"My trust in God never wavers" (Ps. 26:1)
"I, for my part, like an olive tree growing in the house of God, put my trust in God's love for ever and ever" (Ps. 52:8)