Skydiving with my Savior: How Jumping Out of a Plane Showed Me Jesus
I am a lover of comfort. I usually stick to the familiar. I need encouragement from others to even think about stepping outside of the safe little box I've grown to love. My family and friends can attest to this. While I often fantasize about being the type of girl who rock climbs, mountain bikes, bungee jumps and the like, I've never truly believed I'd partake in any of it. So if you were to tell me that on August 10, 2013, I'd jump out of a plane? I probably would have laughed at you. But, August 10, 2013 was yesterday. And I jumped out of a plane. I absolutely loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat.
So what does jumping out of a plane have to do with Jesus?
First, clearly His Spirit's been doing some work in me to get me to the point of agreeing and signing up. Every time I do something that would have at one point paralyzed me with fear, I know He's been working in my heart, and that's a reason to praise Him. For instance, He's helped me to give my mom a foot massage (yes, I have an irrational fear of feet), He's helped me to become a master spider killer (instead of screaming bloody murder and running away, begging for someone else to squish it), and He's even helped me get to the point where I now can call doctors and place orders for pizza (without writing myself a script and shaking like a leaf the whole time). I have lived in fear for many, many years. And my amazing Father is breaking the chains of fear that have bound me slowly, but surely. He surprised me even more by blessing me with SO much peace that I wasn't even afraid as we got ready to jump, or even as we jumped. I was only excited.
And second, I experienced firsthand an incredible picture of how I want my relationship with Jesus to look like more and more. It was tandem skydiving, so I was strapped to an instructor, Ron, who knew what he was doing. (Even though when he asked if it was my first time and I said yes, he joked that it was his first time, too. Ron's quite the comedian.) He had jumped numerous of times before. He knew what needed to be done. He knew all of the logistics. I didn't. I had no clue. Ron told me what I needed to do and that was it. He didn't tell me everything he was doing. And so I prayed that I could just surrender and trust, and go for quite a ride, enjoying it all the while. (Side note: yes, I trusted Ron to do what he had to do. But ultimately my trust was really in the One who was really in control.) And this is what I want more of in my relationship with Jesus. To surrender, trust, and enjoy. I didn't tell Ron how to do his job. That would be ridiculous! Could you imagine? A girl who had never jumped out of a plane telling a man who did this for a living how to operate the parachute or where we should land? And yet, how many times do I tell God how something in my life should go? Too many. How ridiculous! Praise God for His mercy and His patience with my wicked heart.
Third? This one is interesting, and I'm still intrigued by it. My parachute didn't open when it was supposed to. Now, because of the pressure, my ears were "plugged up" so it was hard to hear (they've yet to pop, by the way...so I still feel like I'm under water). So praise God I didn't pay much attention to Ron's "Open, open, open" to the parachute. I was busy thoroughly enjoying the free fall. But when the parachute did open and we jerked back, Ron said "Finally, it opened!" I tried to look back at him and asked, "What do you mean, 'finally'?" Supposedly, we had a longer free fall than most. I wasn't too concerned at that point, because it had opened and I was having a blast. I figured, what's the point in worrying about something that was, now, fine. Everyone on the ground watching us had been really nervous as they watched my friend Sarah's parachute open and me, next to her, just dropping. The takeaway from this part is still sinking into my heart and soul. Things in this broken world go wrong sometimes. Mistakes happen. Timing is "off." Things seem to not go the way they are "supposed to." But overall, God is in control. He is sovereign. There is purpose and reason. There is abundant grace. When you surrender to Jesus, you are to trust even in the times where circumstances and relationships don't meet your expectations. And this is where I'm at right now. So, I think that's why this lesson is really taking it's sweet time to marinate into my mind. Because this is a current struggle. I'm in the extended period of free fall. The parachute seems like it isn't opening. Recently, I'd been screaming and worrying all the while. Jesus wants me to surrender, trust, and enjoy. And only by His grace can this be accomplished. But He who starts a good work in you is faithful to complete it (Phil. 1:6). And so I'll cling to His promises and let go of me. Because of the victory Jesus accomplished on the cross for those of us who by His grace put our trust in Him, we can be free to enjoy the ride, whatever it may look like.
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." ~ 1 John 4:18
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." ~ Jeremiah 17:7&8
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." ~ Proverbs 3:5&6
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." ~ Philippians 2:5-8
"And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it." ~ Mark 8:34&35
So what does jumping out of a plane have to do with Jesus?
First, clearly His Spirit's been doing some work in me to get me to the point of agreeing and signing up. Every time I do something that would have at one point paralyzed me with fear, I know He's been working in my heart, and that's a reason to praise Him. For instance, He's helped me to give my mom a foot massage (yes, I have an irrational fear of feet), He's helped me to become a master spider killer (instead of screaming bloody murder and running away, begging for someone else to squish it), and He's even helped me get to the point where I now can call doctors and place orders for pizza (without writing myself a script and shaking like a leaf the whole time). I have lived in fear for many, many years. And my amazing Father is breaking the chains of fear that have bound me slowly, but surely. He surprised me even more by blessing me with SO much peace that I wasn't even afraid as we got ready to jump, or even as we jumped. I was only excited.
And second, I experienced firsthand an incredible picture of how I want my relationship with Jesus to look like more and more. It was tandem skydiving, so I was strapped to an instructor, Ron, who knew what he was doing. (Even though when he asked if it was my first time and I said yes, he joked that it was his first time, too. Ron's quite the comedian.) He had jumped numerous of times before. He knew what needed to be done. He knew all of the logistics. I didn't. I had no clue. Ron told me what I needed to do and that was it. He didn't tell me everything he was doing. And so I prayed that I could just surrender and trust, and go for quite a ride, enjoying it all the while. (Side note: yes, I trusted Ron to do what he had to do. But ultimately my trust was really in the One who was really in control.) And this is what I want more of in my relationship with Jesus. To surrender, trust, and enjoy. I didn't tell Ron how to do his job. That would be ridiculous! Could you imagine? A girl who had never jumped out of a plane telling a man who did this for a living how to operate the parachute or where we should land? And yet, how many times do I tell God how something in my life should go? Too many. How ridiculous! Praise God for His mercy and His patience with my wicked heart.
Third? This one is interesting, and I'm still intrigued by it. My parachute didn't open when it was supposed to. Now, because of the pressure, my ears were "plugged up" so it was hard to hear (they've yet to pop, by the way...so I still feel like I'm under water). So praise God I didn't pay much attention to Ron's "Open, open, open" to the parachute. I was busy thoroughly enjoying the free fall. But when the parachute did open and we jerked back, Ron said "Finally, it opened!" I tried to look back at him and asked, "What do you mean, 'finally'?" Supposedly, we had a longer free fall than most. I wasn't too concerned at that point, because it had opened and I was having a blast. I figured, what's the point in worrying about something that was, now, fine. Everyone on the ground watching us had been really nervous as they watched my friend Sarah's parachute open and me, next to her, just dropping. The takeaway from this part is still sinking into my heart and soul. Things in this broken world go wrong sometimes. Mistakes happen. Timing is "off." Things seem to not go the way they are "supposed to." But overall, God is in control. He is sovereign. There is purpose and reason. There is abundant grace. When you surrender to Jesus, you are to trust even in the times where circumstances and relationships don't meet your expectations. And this is where I'm at right now. So, I think that's why this lesson is really taking it's sweet time to marinate into my mind. Because this is a current struggle. I'm in the extended period of free fall. The parachute seems like it isn't opening. Recently, I'd been screaming and worrying all the while. Jesus wants me to surrender, trust, and enjoy. And only by His grace can this be accomplished. But He who starts a good work in you is faithful to complete it (Phil. 1:6). And so I'll cling to His promises and let go of me. Because of the victory Jesus accomplished on the cross for those of us who by His grace put our trust in Him, we can be free to enjoy the ride, whatever it may look like.
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." ~ 1 John 4:18
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." ~ Jeremiah 17:7&8
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." ~ Proverbs 3:5&6
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." ~ Philippians 2:5-8
"And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it." ~ Mark 8:34&35
Hello Ashley, so good to know you through your profile on the blogger. I am also glad to stop by your blog "From stone to Flesh: A Jesus Led Heart Journey" and the post on it of dated 11th August 2013 "Skydiving with my Savior: How Jumping Out of a Plane Showed Jesus". I am encouraged by your post and thank you so much for encouraging other through your blog and posts on it. Well about me, I am in the Pastoral ministry for last 33 yrs in the great city of MUMBAI, India a city with great contrast where richest of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest of poor with the love of Christ to bring healing to the broken hearted. We also encourage young people as well a adults from the West to come to Mumbai on a short term missions trip to work with us. We would love to have you come with your friends to work with us on a short term missions trip. My email id is: dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede. Looking forward to hear from you very soon.
ReplyDeleteI apologize I'm just now responding, Diwakar! I'm so encouraged by you taking your time to read my blog post and then reaching out in the way you did! Your ministry sounds absolutely wonderful and I thank God for what He's doing through you. I will definitely be keeping you and your ministry in my prayers. Thank you!
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