My husband and I recently watched a movie called “The Walk.” It’s about a Frenchman, Philippe Petit, who walks a tightrope between the Twin Towers. My hands were sweating. My heart was racing. I even sunk low into the couch as if I was the one walking hundreds of feet in the sky.
Even now as I write this, my hands begin to sweat. Walking on a thin rope in mid-air with nothing to catch you is CRAZY, right?! Yet, I will gladly make myself a sweaty nervous wreck and watch someone else do it. Why? Because it is thrilling and exhilarating to feel a reaction -- and even more exhilarating seeing the person successfully make it to the other side.
As I think of the Christian faith, I see it as walking a tightrope. The rope is life. This rope is tight and tense and must be walked. This rope has to be anchored on both ends, and the anchors must be secure. On one side, we are anchored in Christ, and on the other side, we are anchored in the hope of heaven.
Even though the anchors are secure and fixed, it still takes faith to step out and walk. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.”
Petit prepared and trained for this walk between the towers. He did not just wake up one morning able to do it. He had focus and patience as he skillfully and carefully learned to steady each footstep on the rope. He had friends who encouraged him and helped lift his heavy equipment. Yet, it still took faith each time he stepped onto the line of rope.
A secure rope is a tight and tense one. And oh, how we hate the tension in life, right? It causes us to sway, wobble, and lose our balance. But tension is good and necessary. Without the tension, there is no need for Christ or the hope of eternity. This tension we feel in life will always remain present this side of heaven.
James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Notice James says when we face trials, not if. These trials are part of the faith of stepping out and walking on a rope that is anchored and secure.
We must have faith that the anchors will hold us and keep us safe. We must embrace the tension, and allow it to remind us of who we are anchored in. We need friends who can help with the heavy lifting and keep us anchored, because we cannot do it alone.
Walking this tight rope of life will make our hands break out in a sweat and cause our hearts to race, but with the security of Jesus and an eternal focus, we can enjoy the walk on the rope.
