Show Your Faith - Get In!

There was a tightrope walker who did incredible feats. All over Paris he would do tightrope acts at tremendously scary heights. Then he had succeeding acts; he would do it blindfolded, then he would go across the tightrope blindfolded pushing a wheelbarrow. An American promoter read about this in the newspaper and wrote a letter to the tightrope walker, saying, “Tightrope, I don’t believe you can do it, but I am wiling to make you an offer. For a very substantial sum of money, besides all your transportation fees, I would like to challenge you to do your act over Niagara Falls.” Tightrope wrote back, “Sir, although I have never been to America nor seen the Falls, I’d love to come.” After a lot of promoting and setting things up, many people came to see the event. Tightrope was to start on the Canadian side of the Falls and walk to the American side. Drums roll, and he walked the rope which was suspended over the treacherous part of the Falls – blindfolded! The crowds went wild! Tightrope asked the promoter, “Well, Mr. Promoter, now do you believe I can do it?” He replied, “Of course I do. I just saw you do it.” “No,” said Tightrope, “do you really believe I can do it?” A little frustrated Mr. Promoter replied, “Well of course I do, you just did it!” “No, no, no,” said Tightrope, “do you really believe I can do it?” “Yes,” said Mr. Promoter, “I believe you can do it.” “Good,” said Tightrope, “in that case, you won’t mind getting into the wheelbarrow.”

[Romans 5:6-8] “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Few things hold for us such beauty and warmth as the Biblical concept of reconciliation. To be reconciled means to be reunited. All who have experienced the loneliness and bitterness of estrangement can appreciate the joy of reconciliation. Sin is that which separated mankind from the Creator (Isaiah 59:1-2). Because we are sinners, we are incapable of providing for our own salvation. This is why Jesus came to earth and shed His life’s blood. His blood – the blood of the sinless Lamb of God – purchased our redemption and provided the means whereby we might once again be united with God. The blessing of reconciliation might be beyond our ability to fully comprehend, but it is possible for us to possess it by accepting Christ as our Savior and His Word as our blueprint for Christian living. Paul wrote, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). “Brought near” describes the practical effect of reconciliation through the blood of Jesus. Instead of being on the “outside” looking in, excluded as being “strangers” from the blessings of the gospel, we are full participants through faith in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:11-12). It is the precious blood of Jesus Christ which purchases our redemption and provides for us the reconciliation which we so desperately need and desire. May we ever be thankful that God has chosen “in Christ” to reconcile all men to Himself! Are you “in Christ” where all such blessings are found? (Ephesians 1:3; Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 3:26-27) Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Messiah – the Savior of sinners? Do you really believe that through Him your sins are forgiven? No, no, no, I mean do you really believe this to be so? Yes? Then get into God’s Word and start living like you believe it! Earnestly seek God (Hebrews 11:6).