On the Edge, But Hanging In and Holding On

     Many of the weekly thoughts that are shared in this blog are formed from casual, mundane instances that happen to me along life's daily journey. This week's FTM is directly related to an incident that happened earlier this week. To some coincidences and luck create a great deal of the events that take place in our lives each day, but I fall in the camp of there is no such thing as a coincidence, things happen for a reason and it is our job to be attentive and look for the purpose or lesson attached to the things that go on in our walk each day.
    Included in my morning routine is a 1 to 2 mile run accompanied by a quick shower to freshen up before I head out to work. I wear a cross pendant on a leather cord which I have to remove before showering and as I was going about this routine this past Tuesday something happened that caught my attention and inspired today's thought for the week. I removed the necklace and laid it on the vanity in the bathroom. As I moved away from the vanity somehow I must have knocked the cross pendant near the edge of the sink's base. The leather cord dangled from the ledge and the cross teetered right at the point of following the cord down towards the ground. I stood frozen watching to see if the necklace was going to fall or if it would stay in place. Looking at that cross made me think of the many times I have been right there on the edge and felt like there was no way I would be able to hold on, but somehow I did, and by holding on I was able to outlast the adversity that I was experiencing.
     Not that I overcame my adversities by myself. Faith and trust equip us to hang in and hold on when we feel like we are at the edge of a cliff, dangling and uncertain of what is going to happen next. The words of Dr. Vance Havner, an early twentieth century theologian, provide us with a thought to hang on to in the midst of our turmoil and tribulations, "We find that when Jesus is all we have, He is all we need and all we want. We are shipwrecked on God and stranded on omnipotence." Just as that necklace was being pulled by gravity towards the ground, something held it tightly to the edge without letting it fall. It was the cross that held it firmly in place, dangling yes, but as it dangled it held strong, glued to the vanity.
     Whatever you are going through in life, whatever cliff you feel like you are standing on, hang in and hold on to your faith and place your trust in the One that will provide your anchor. When you feel like it is too tough don't quit or give up, just keep holding on to that cross. Whether it's your job, your marriage, school, business, sports, illness, or even in the face of death hang in there and trust. It may seem like you have nothing left to hold on to,  remember it is then that all you have to hold on to is all you need. "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1.
Coach Carter