I watched only a few minutes
of the live telecast of Nik Wallenda walking across the Grand Canyon on a wire.
That was enough anxiety for me. The idea of walking on a two-inch steel wire,
fifteen hundred feet above the canyon floor without a safety net or harness is
not my idea of a quiet evening at home with a good book. The telecast was a
ratings bonanza for the Discovery Channel with nearly 13 million viewers!
I could not help but realize
as I watched this “extreme stunt” that this was a great example for all Christians
about our life on the tight rope of the troubled times in which we are living.
Over the last nine years that
I have written this blog, I have predicted again and again that the times we
are living in would become increasingly difficult. Have I been wrong? Did any
of us think nine years ago that government agencies would be closely monitoring
our phone calls and communications? That the IRS would be mired in scandal or
that our nation would have become so violent?
Anyone who believes that the
end times will be happy and carefree has little understanding of Scripture.
When asked by His disciples what the sign of the end would be, at the
conclusion of the list that Jesus gave was the statement that “these will be
the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:8, NIV). This means that the end
times will be marked by ferocious painful spasms coming with increasing frequency . . . just as happens
when a mother is about to give birth.
Such are the times we are in!
And they will not get better. The days ahead will be more difficult and complex
than the past.
Nik Wallenda’s walking on a
wire over the Grand Canyon is a metaphor or picture of how a believer can
survive and thrive in these troubled times.
As I watched this unusual
stunt, three things popped into my mind.
First, I was
blown away by the continual stream of verbal praise and prayer flowing out of
this child of God. I was also amazed that a secular TV channel would actually
broadcast what he was saying; if they put up a disclaimer, I never saw it. What
Nik was doing was a demonstration of one of the greatest survival weapons that
every believer has in his/her hands. Praise and worship leads the way to
victory, disarms and confuses demonic powers, and welcomes the presence of the
Lord. Paul says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV).
I can’t begin to tell you how
important I think it is that you learn to “practice the presence of the Lord”
by worshiping Him. Psalm 22:3 says that God inhabits the praises of His people,
and in these last tumultuous days we are going to need all the presence of the
Lord we can get! This is one of the great safety nets God has provided for His
people.
Second, Nik
Wallenda was totally focused on the task before him. This was not a moment for
sightseeing, playing on Facebook or waving at the TV cameras. He single-mindedly
concentrated on what he was doing and where he was going. This was an act of
faith!
When Peter got out of the
boat and began to walk on the water to go to Jesus, he did just fine as long as
he kept his focus on the Lord. The moment he noticed the wind and the waves, he
began to sink. Jesus rescued him with these words: “O you of little faith, why
did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31, ESV). The words “little faith” speak of a faith
that is easily distracted and mingled with doubt. Unfortunately, a large
portion of the American/Canadian church is a church of “little faith” and is
going to be dramatically struck by the unfolding difficulties ahead.
Third, Nik Wallenda
was carrying nothing with him that did not pertain to the task at hand. Lest
you think I’m about to ask you to empty your bank account, get a cheaper car or
give away most of your possessions, be assured that I’m not! That’s between you
and God and nobody else.
I am talking about what you
are still carrying in your heart and spirit that is weighing you down and
keeping you from walking in full victory. Unconfessed secret sin, unforgiveness
and disobedience to the Lord weigh us down, distract us, cause us to lose our
focus and keep us from moving with freedom.
“Therefore, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every
weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run (walk) with endurance
(focus/tenacity) the race (tightrope) that is set before us, looking to Jesus”
(Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV).
I rejoice that God allowed
one of His people to demonstrate for us in such dramatic fashion how to survive
on the tightrope of life in the end-times!
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