Hong Kong!

November 21, 2011

“In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:5

A few hours ago I was giddy with anticipation.  Now my heart and legs sink beneath me.  I ease to the ledge to see a thirty five feet plunge to the pool at the base of these falls, in Northern Hong Kong.  I can barely stand much less I fear be able to clear the simple foot or two of rocks in order to smoothly sail into the clear cold waters below. 

I step away, laugh at the decision I am about to make, give myself a countdown, and suddenly find myself hurling from my perch.  My body goes weightless, I feel exhilarated and freed from the fear that held me clutching to the rock just seconds earlier.  Then none to quickly the wait is over and my body crashes into the cold water.  I did it!  I conquered my fear and jumped from a cliff after a tough mountain hike.  What a wonderful feeling!

There is a lesson to be learned.  As I stood on the cliff I kept pondering, for some reason, the words of Dr. Gothard.  He correctly claims that too often we allow our mind to be in control.  We rationalize and attempt to unlock scripture using our minds. But God is bigger than that, His word is more powerful than that, our minds hold us to the things we can know.  I know I am safe on that cliff.  When we however, take our mind out of control—ie taking a few step run and belaying ourselves off the cliff that is when our spirit is truly free to experience all the wonderful things God wants to reveal to us.

My mind is too often in control.  I had to completely shut it down to make this jump.  It just didn’t make sense.  Why would people jump off a cliff and free fall into the water?  But I was not going to be content until I had experienced for myself.  My prayer is that God will help me take my mind off the throne in all other areas of my life so that in my spirit I can feel the same freedom that my mind and body felt free falling earlier.

Which brings to a question that always brings a smile to face in its simplicity yet depth which I cannot fully explain, “How did I end up in Asia?” and also, “What is my true purpose here?”  I do not yet know, I cannot explain, but I am so satisfied that He did.  “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” Psalm 34:8