Are You a Tightrope Walker?

“Why are you covering your eyes?” my husband asked. “It’ll be over before you know it.”

“I can’t look!” I cried, “What if he falls to his death?”

We were watching a video of Nik Wallenda walking across a Grand Canyon gorge on a tight rope.

My heart raced and stomach curled up in a knot.

“Can you hear him?” he asked, “He’s praising and thanking Jesus!”

I had to open my eyes to verify the unexpected declaration.

In an interview afterwards he declared: “it took every bit of me to stay focused”.

He said that dust had accumulated in his contacts and called the walk unusually stressful. However, he called the view breathtaking, and said the opportunity “was a dream come true.” (Wikipedia)

He credited a combination of prayer, concentration, and preparation for his success.

My curiosity led me to Google, where I found an interview from The Daily Mail of another famous high-wire walker from France, Philippe Petit, who crossed the Niagara Falls.

He declared: “the trick was not to look down, for the movement of the waves will make you lose your balance.’”

 Focus, concentration, preparation, prayer.

Aren’t these the principles we need to go through life?

Sometimes things can get so complicated and difficult that we may feel like we’re walking on a tight rope.

The unexpected challenges those athletes face (strong winds, slippery ropes, dust in their eyes, and more), could cause them to lose balance and fall to their deaths.

They have to keep their eyes focused on the goal, regardless of what’s happening around them, above them or underneath them.

In life we will face unexpected news, difficult problems and sad events. Just like those men, we may doubt, tumble and shake. But we can imitate their strategy in order to survive and succeed.

• Preparation- We prepare by reading the Bible and all His promises for us.

                +Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful Joshua 1:8 NIV

•  Concentration/focus- We keep our eyes on Jesus and not look in any other direction, or “the movement of the waves” (of anxiety, worry, fear) will make us lose our balance and fall into the waters of negativity, doubt and unbelief.

+You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Is. 26:3

• Prayer- This is the rod that keeps us stable. The Lord tells us to go boldly before the throne of grace in time of need.

+Therefore, let us confidently approach the throne from which God gives grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need. Heb. 4:16

• Enjoy- Regardless of how hard our journey may get, Jesus died so we could have an abundant life. Even though the walk was unusually stressful for Nik Wallenda, he chose to enjoy the view, calling it “breathtaking.”

       +I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it   overflows). John 10:10

When we prepare, focus and pray we are able to face our challenges with strength, faith and confidence. This will allow us to enjoy our journey through life and consider it “breathtaking” like Nik Wallenda did.

That is the abundant life Jesus died for us to have.