I'll Catch You

The story is told of how a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms. He called to his frightened son, "Jump! I'll catch you." Looking down, all the boy could see was flames, smoke, and blackness. He hesitated. Time was running out. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "Son, I can see you. That's what matters." 


My friends, today, God says the same thing to us when we are in our fires. "I will catch you!"


Facing fires is common, at least, in my life. I find myself up on the roof of a house filled with flames. Sometimes the fire starts out small. A misunderstanding. But as more things go wrong, the flames spread and the fire grows.


Sometimes the fires are big right from the start. As a diagnosis sheet was slapped into my hand by my psychiatrist I read the words "Depression, Anxiety Disorder, OCD". 


Sometimes we don't notice the fire until it's too late. A fire of a burned friendship because of betrayal. Never saw it coming.


Fires are everywhere. Mental illness. Physical problems. Family arguments. Trouble at work. Financial worries. Break ups. Hurt. Death or health problems of a loved one. Bad grades. 


Those fires all light up, spread, and leave us on the roof of the burning house. Sometimes, my brain goes on default panic mode. Default hurt mode. Default anxiety mode. 


The flames seem to strong and it seems like the roof that is holding me up will soon be swallowed by the fire below. When I go to the default mode of panic, hurt, and anxiety, and God is crying "Jump to me! I'll catch you!" I still hang out on the roof. And the situation never gets any better. 


And in my default mode of hurt, anxiety, and panic, the smoke is so thick and the flames are so strong that even though I hear God saying, "Jump! I'll catch you!", I say, "Daddy, I can't see you."


And like that father in the story, God says, "I can see you. That's what matters."


And it's safe to jump. And He always catches us. Because He can see us. He wants us to trust him.


When the fires of life rise and blow and come to destroy, get out of the default mode of panic, hurt, and anxiety. Listen for God's call. It might be hard to see Him through the smoke and roaring flames, but He is right there, and He can see you. That's what matters.


And, as I said a few days ago, if He gave us the very best, it is safe to trust Him with the rest.


He will catch you. Whether you're jumping from a small shed, from a small fire; or a hundred story building, God is waiting at the bottom. No matter what the problem is, jump. He can see you. No matter how high you are. No matter how big the flames are, no matter how thick the smoke is, His eye is on you. He's ready to catch you, and it's guaranteed He's not going to miss.


Blessings:
-I didn't really have any reaction to my new medication so far! Yes!


-I read a book about the power of reading today and I could only say "wow!"


-The Pastor whose ordination I played for this past weekend sent me a very nice thank you e-mail.


-I had watermelon and sweet corn on the cob tonight during dinner.


-Phone call from a friend.


-Ordered textbooks today for the fall semester


-Got some free children's books today!