I’m not as sure-footed as I used to be. I would have enjoyed the challenge of the bold boulder field 10 even 5 years ago. But these are not smooth – these are challenging pointed rocks. The moment I stepped onto it, I decided it was better to crawl. Plus I didn’t have a great pocket for my phone in my pouch. I did have sturdy shoes on, good, and nestled my feet in. I stepped out into the field. It was worth it. 

I realized this relates to us navigating life and Jesus holding tight and providing our rock solid foundation. We want to be good and sure-footed, but can’t always be, We are human. will make mistakes, knowing and even not knowing, we will guess, fail, sin. And faking a sinless life is pride, and pride is not to strive for. And knowingly being stuck between a rock and a hard place is just that, being stuck and needing a Savior save. Can’t ignore our missteps and footfalls, can’t even talk our way out to be back to a perfect we never were. 

In life the challenge IS tough… we walk in broken boulders, broken rocks, earthly living. Repentance is asking for the repeal of the death sentence.Yes Jesus, the sure path is surely holding on to us. One Rock of Heaven HOLDS, not moving like earthly crumbles and craters.

I turned around to go back to the open path. At first I was just as nervous. But then I realized I really had come a long way. I took this photo. It’s not the path out but the path back. The path out I HAD prevailed, even though I had held onto the boulders and was so slow, I really did accomplish getting out there. So now, I was ready to trust and take it slow again. Go back in.

Yes, we do move and get places – may we put our trust where it should be. God gets the credit. And as for our sins and sideswiped lives? We HAVE to rely upon Jesus. It’s not ninety percent us and ten percent Him. It’s not ninety percent Him, ten percent us. Our repentance is our reliance upon Him, 100%.

Jesus is the One we need, He who is Worthy. His Rock. We can step carefully, hold tight, and often it’s actually best if we ask if He will carry us.

Amen

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Matthew 7:1-14 NIV

Judging Others

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

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Luke 13:1-9 NIV

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

“‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”