From Danger to Praise!
“Warning! Serious Injuries and deaths have occurred beyond this point.” These are the “welcome” signs that awaited Bethany and me this week, as we hiked at Hanging Rock State Park together in celebration of 14 years of marriage. I both chuckled and cringed at these signs of warning, knowing they portend real potential danger, illustrated in the stories of real lives lost and real lives changed by a false step, or simply an unforeseen disaster.
Yet, we forged ahead, along with countless other men, women and children, because at the peak of hanging rock is a glorious view that with sure footing leads to praise! “You’re almost there,” people would say to us on their way down. “It’s beautiful and amazing and so worth it!” They were right. As we stood at the peak of Hanging Rock, I thought, “I can’t imagine what would have been lost if I’d turned back at those signs.”
Many of us, including myself, often view the journey of the Christian life as a hike to the top of Hanging Rock, particularly when it comes to the call in the life of every believer to evangelism, or sharing one’s faith. The journey is one full of signs that scream, “Warning! Serious injury and deaths have occurred beyond this point.” Sharing our faith can be quite an adventure, but we are often afraid of the dangers, the consequences of saying the wrong thing or of being rejected by our families, our neighbors, our friends, and that can feel like death.
However, when we have seen a greater glory, we cannot help but respond in a praise that extends beyond ourselves and to those around us who are hiking the truly dangerous journey of life – one without God. In Psalm 40:2-3, the Psalmist testifies to what God has done for him, saying, “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure” (vs. 2). When Jesus saves, he does so out of our real danger and sets our feet upon the One who is our solid rock, enabling us to behold a greater glory. The response? Praise that extends to a world in danger. He continues, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord” (vs. 3).
Has the Lord Jesus taken you out of the pit of destruction, the miry bog and set your feet upon the rock? Has he put a new song of praise in your mouth? If so, may He enable your praise to extend beyond yourself to your family, your neighbors, your friends and co-workers, who are in need of the same.
This Sunday at Calvary, is Neighbor Sunday, and we will be sharing the Good News of how Jesus has come to seek and save the lost, those who are truly in danger, that they might see a greater glory. Use this opportunity to invite your friends to join us, that they, too, might “put their trust in the Lord.”
