A powerful mini sermon about learning to trust God.
Sermon by J.K. Townsley
Paraphrased by Sherry Collins
Scripture Text: Romans 4:18-21
Randy Reid fell 110 feet off a water tower and landed on a soft pile of sand, only bruising a lung. While being transported to the ambulance by the paramedics, he repeatedly pleaded, “Please don’t drop me!” Randy Reid survived a 110 ft. fall only to live in fear of a 3 ft. drop. Veterans understand this fear well. In the Vietnam War they would do what was called “365 days and a wake up.” As the time for their tour of duty came to an end, they would worry about coming up “short.” They would become paranoid about their last few days in the country, even though they had lasted nearly a year previous. We are reminded of Douglas McArthur who said, “There is no security on this earth.”
When we think of all God has saved us from, isn’t strange that we still worry so much about the little things? He saved us from the huge fall of sin, yet like Randy Reid we often keep praying, “God, don’t drop me!” Do we really think that the God who saves us from the 110 ft. fall isn’t able to save us from our 3 ft. fall? This may sound very silly. But look at Abraham. There should have been no doubt in Abraham’s mind of the ability of God to deliver him. Genesis 12:10 records occasions when Abraham seemed to have forgotten and became afraid of the 3 ft. fall. Motivated by fear of being killed, he called his wife his sister, and let Pharaoh take her as one of his wives. Even after God miraculously came through for him and saved him, he still did it again in Genesis 20. Sometime later Abraham became a man of faith, and he stopped fearing the small things, because he had discovered that God is able.
John 10:27-29 Don’t we realize that if Jesus can save us from the fall (of sin) that He is well able to keep us in his hand and not drop us? How often are we consumed with concern and worry? Fear is usually a sign that we are trying to handle things on our own. How is it that we think a God who could save us from the big drop can’t save us from the little ones? In Ephesians 3:20 we are told that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Hebrews 7:25 says “He is able to save….” II Timothy 1:12 says, “…able to keep that which is committed to Him…. Jude 2:4 again tells us, “…He is able to keep you….” Romans 4:21 says that Abraham was a man who believed that “What God hath promised He was able to perform.” God gave Abraham a miracle son, He delivered him from enemies, and gave him victory in battles. Sounds like a man who was confident that God wouldn’t drop him. Be confident in the midst of your predicament. God will NOT drop you!
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