Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - Hesitating on the Tightrope - #6335

Friday, April 22, 2011

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Wallenda. That's a name that is synonymous with tightrope artistry, high wire drama. The Great Wallendas! The patriarch of the Wallenda clan was Karl Wallenda, and at the age of 73 he was still doing tightrope work. He went to South America several years ago and strung a tight rope between two 20-story buildings. For him that was not an unusual feat, but tragically that day Karl Wallenda fell to his death.

Some months later, some of his family were asked, "Why do you think after all these years he fell?" And someone said, "You know, two weeks before his fall, we heard him talk about falling for the first time ever. He had never mentioned falling before." He never had, and he probably never would have fallen if he had not become un-nerved by the fear of falling. Now, maybe you're doing quite a balancing act right now yourself, and you're hesitating because you're afraid you might not make it safely the rest of the way.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You about "Hesitating on the Tightrope."

You know, the word tightrope may be for you today a good word. You say, "Ron, that pretty well describes were I'm at. I'm balancing things financially right now, barely. I guess I'm on a financial tightrope." Or maybe you've got such a volume of responsibilities you feel like you're a high wire artist. Maybe you're working at the very limit of your strength, your ability, your wisdom.

Well, so was Abraham. And he had been given, as you remember, a son that he'd been promised for years. He was told that this great nation would come through this son, Isaac. And then God in a test of his faith that grew into a new level of relationship with the Lord, asked him to sacrifice his own son; to take him to the top of the mountain and give up what was most precious to him. Didn't seem to make much sense, and yet we find Abraham and Isaac marching right up the mountain as Abraham obeys God instinctively.

And it says here that early the next morning after he talked with God, without hesitation, he got up and sat on his donkey and started up. Now in verse 4 it says, "On the third day, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servant, 'Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there.' Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son, Isaac. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to Abraham, 'Father?' 'Yes, my son' Abraham replied. 'The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?' Abraham answered, 'God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.' And the two of them went on together."

That "God will provide" - that's the name of God we know today as Jehovah Jireh. There was a moment of hesitation here on the road of obedience. Maybe there is on yours. But it was Jehovah Jireh - the Lord will provide - that settled it. OK, so you're looking at the circumstances right now - the checkbook balance; the reactions you're getting or might get. Your own roller coaster feelings, and you're saying, "Shall I keep going?" Well, Abraham said, "Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide. He always has."

Jacob said later, "The God who has fed me every day of my life will support me." Look, God has never missed a day in your life, right? Sometimes all we have to help us go the rest of the way is the assurance that God will provide, and He will.

Maybe you can't see the ram that God has ready. But God will provide. What you need to finish your faith walk will be there when you need it. You have His word on it. So keep walking, and don't even think about falling.