There is a nice playground about two blocks from our house, and on nice days I enjoy taking my children there to play (and use up some of that endless energy!). Both my son and my daughter enjoy all the equipment there slides, swings, monkey bars, etc. The last time we were there, it was getting dark, and I told my children that it was time to go home. My son, who is the cautious one in the family, carefully walked down the steps of the equipment where he was playing. My daughter, however, yelled "Catch me!" and leaped off the jungle gym into my rather unready arms.

What an amount of faith my daughter had in me to make that jump! She doesn't always listen to what I say or obey me immediately, but she did that day. She heard me say it was time to go, and she jumped into my arms, taking for granted that I would be able to catch her and not drop her on her hard little head. She was quite high up (nearly as high as my head), but that didn't slow her in the least. She didn't stop to think that Mom might not catch her, or what would happen if she didn't make it. She just jumped.

Similarly, we should have the same kind of faith in our God. We should take God at His word that He will do what He says He will do. When we read in the Bible about the directions God has made for our lives, we shouldn't second-guess Him or try to do things our own way. Hebrews 10:38 says "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Even better for us, our faith doesn't have to be based on a blind jump. The last part of 1 Timothy 1:12 tells us that "...I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

We know who our God is, and He has proven over and over again His ability to keep safe all that we have committed to Him. When God's word tells us to do something, we need to do it without hesitation. Our faith should be proven by our actions (James 2:18). 29 Flora Drive, Bedford, OH 44146. Drkenney@att.net

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