…If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders… ?
— JUDGES 6:13

How would you like to step off a cliff with me today?

“Are you sure that’s what you’d like to do, Lord? We have other options. We could have devotions together. We could pray with some buddies. We could tell a few strangers about you.”

Yes, we could. I just like blessing you. Let’s go to the cliff.

The cliff! You know, “cliff” and “blessing” don’t seem to belong in the same sentence. “Cliff” and “danger” work for me. I’ve got some friends who say, ‘‘Cliff” and “stupid” are a pair. I know you like this kind of stuff, but realize that I don’t have the luxury of seeing beyond the cliff.

I know. Why do you think I want to take you there? What do you think I want you to see?

“Well, for one thing, it’s an invitation to the impossible. I guess that’s what I see. That’s also my point of resistance.”

I don’t need to take you to the cliff for you to know it’s impossible. You know that now. What is it about going there, being there, actually stepping off the edge? What do you think I want you to see?

“My face on the canyon bottom?”

Nice one. That’s pretty good. Now be serious.

“To be honest, Lord, every time we go to the cliff, I ask you the same thing: Why are we doing this? You never tell me.”

That’s true, and you’ve survived every time. What did you see in each of those times?

“Honestly? I don’t know. My eyes were closed. I really hate heights.”

Fair enough. What did you sense?

“You. I sensed you. You were with me. I could feel you holding me up.”

Why do you think I want to take you to the cliff?

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Think of the contradictions you experience—hardships that result in blessings, blessings that turn out to be curses, events where the outcome surprises you. Write them down. What do you think God wants you to see?
2. Reflect on your perception of God through the process. How has it shaped your belief about him today?

David Collins was raised in Vietnam as a son of missionaries. Based on lessons learned as a pastor, missionary, educator, international development worker and senior executive, he founded Paradigm Ministries in 2007. Discover more at paradigmministries.ca.

Image: by Abu Shawka (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons