Taking a Leap of Faith

Devotion I gave for Friday school Chapel in February:

You are called a leap year baby if you were born on February 29th. On the calendar, it looks like your birthday is missing because February shows only 28 days three years out of four. Is there a big mistake? Not at all. When the earth moves around the sun, it takes a little more than 365 days. So approximately every four years, our calendar loses almost twenty-four hours, so in the fourth year we add an extra day to catch up. That day is February 29, and that year is called a leap year. It was created when the Gregorian calendar was introduced in the 1700s.

If you only counted your leap year birthdays, by the time you were sixteen you would have had only four February 29 birthday parties. Fortunately, people with leap year birthdays can celebrate on February 28 or March 1 instead, so they can have the same number of birthday parties as all their friends. (The One Year Did You Know Devotions 2)

When I think of the word leap, I think about taking a “leap of faith.”

Picture a 2-year-old standing on the side of the pool looking eagerly at his dad who is in the water. His dad is calling to him from only about two inches away, “Go ahead, jump!” The toddler is having a little crisis of faith. He wonders if he can trust that his dad is powerful enough to catch him if he jumps in? And does he trust that his dad’s character is good—that he will keep his promise to catch him? Finally, after thinking about all of this, the 2-year-old acts on his faith and jumps into his dad’s arms! Then the giggling begins and the toddler is ready to climb back out and do it again . . . and again . . . and again!

That’s what faith is. It’s putting your belief and trust in something or somebody outside of yourself, and then acting on that belief. In Hebrews chapter 11, we are given many examples of people who had great faith. For instance, Abraham, had to leave his home and venture into the unfamiliar, trusting God’s promise for a son that wouldn’t happen for 25 years. Or think about Moses, who spent 40 years leading the Israelites in the wilderness to take them to the Promised Land. Step by step, day by day, Moses acted on his faith in a promise that wouldn’t even completely materialize until after his death. Joshua acted in faith when he walked around the the walls of Jericho for seven days waiting for them to fall. The writer of Hebrews recounts these and many other examples of trust in this “Hall of Faith” chapter.

Of course, acting on faith isn’t always easy. It calls us to step away from what is comfortable and safe and, like a two-year-old at the edge of a swimming pool, look into unknown and unfamiliar circumstances. Grown ups have to think about things like trusting their finances to God, or deciding whether or not to make a job change. Some of you just started homeschooling in the last month. Making that decision and then deciding to come here to our PSP and Friday school took a step of faith. Some other things that require faith might be making new friends, moving from junior high to high school, moving to a new home, or trying a new sport.

The questions we face when faced with a step of faith are as simple as the questions in the little heart of the toddler at the edge of the pool. We wonder if we can trust that our heavenly Father is powerful enough? And do we trust that He is good? The answer to both questions, if we understand and believe the teaching of God’s Word, is a big “Yes!” Our all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present God can handle every situation we face. He is the definition of what is good. He will always do what is right and we can trust Him to not let us fall or fail.

Hebrews 11:6 says “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” This verse tells us that faith triggers a response of pleasure in God’s heart. As we demonstrate our trust in Him, He delights in our belief in Him. As His children, the writer says, we cannot please Him without faith! It is impossible.

Whatever “pool” you are standing next to today, remember the character of the Father who is calling you to act on your faith in Him. You can trust Him. so come on in! The water’s fine! (Leap of Faith)