If you’ve ever traveled with young kiddos and found yourself in an airport with a substantial layover, you will do anything to entertain them. I’ve found myself riding the moving sidewalks, back and forth – back and forth – back and forth, and it’s always passed a little bit of time with minimal effort. Those moving sidewalks are especially nice when your connecting flight is on the opposite side of the airport, and you started regretting your footwear while boarding your first flight. They entertain and they give the toes a break from being rubbed too much.
The moving sidewalks get you places, but they can’t carry you the whole way, can they? Intermittently there will be a break so that people can disembark and go in a direction the sidewalk doesn’t allow. They’re overall useful and can offer a much-needed distraction for kiddos, but how many of us think that we can get through life on a moving sidewalk?
I can easily recognize the times of my life that I was trying to only use a moving sidewalk. Anyone else? Whether I was trying to float by in the areas of my career, relationships, or spiritual walk, the moving sidewalk mentality proved to not benefit, but instead had an opposite effect. At the time, I was content to watch others around me move faster and experience the freedom of new discoveries. I was complacent in a very unhealthy way.
The moving sidewalk seasons are not God’s best. It’s not what He wants us to settle in to. He wants us to grow, reach new heights, and to be better than we were yesterday. He can certainly meet us on those sidewalks, but He’s always going to beckon us to trust His guidance off of those moving platforms.
We’re going to take a look at two of my favorite stories in the Bible (I call all of them favorites). The story of Caleb and Joshua and the story of Jesus walking on the water in the storm. Both of these are fairly well known but take a moment to read Numbers 13:25-14:9 and Joshua 14:6-15 (story of Joshua and Caleb). Then jump over to read the passage about Jesus taking a stroll on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:22-36).
In our first story, Caleb and Joshua had been two of the twelve spies to check out the land God had promised them, and they were the only two who came back with a report filled with confidence in what they knew would be their victory. They had a different kind of faith – they were encouraged and excited to take the land that God had promised them because they saw the victory through the promise God had made them. They saw their victory through His might and not their own. The other ten spies weren’t so confident – they had been on the sidewalks too long.
There have been a lot of moments that I wanted to stay on that moving sidewalk and just effortlessly pass by the hard work. I have been in those seasons when I understood the moving sidewalk to be the best and safest place to be… but those were also the times that I was seeing myself as a grasshopper in the eyes of giants and I had no hope of victory – at least there was no hope of victory without God.
Now, fast-forward 45 years and Caleb is demonstrating the same strength of faith – stronger even if you factor in his geriatrics. I know a lot of 40-something year old men who could go into battle and kick some teeth in, but I don’t know any 80-something year old men who could – do you? I know that mankind aged differently back then, but age was still part of the consideration when it came to waging war. He first reminds Joshua of God’s promise, the promise that was kept, and the promise that was still to be fulfilled. He could have sat back and relaxed on that moving sidewalk – he was 85 years old after all – but instead he said Now give me this mountain!
You might know where I’m going with all of this but bear with me. Let’s look at the time that Jesus walked on the water.
The disciples had just been part of the miracle of the feeding of more than 5,000 people, and then were directed to get into the boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. Hours passed and they hadn’t made it too far because of a storm. They were stuck, it was the fourth watch of the night (3 am – 6 am), and I’m sure they were tired. They had been fighting the wind and the waves all night long – and where was Jesus? He was strolling out to join them.
He called to them, identified Himself to them, and Peter asked for proof. He said, If it’s really you, call me to walk out to you. It’s like He was asking Jesus, If it’s really you, I’ll get off this moving sidewalk. Not to point fingers, but none of the other disciples volunteered to get out of the boat. They seemed content to stay in what they viewed as safe – even though it was being tossed around. Those waves were probably like the giants in the land. They had quickly forgotten all that they had seen with their own eyes – the miracle food that they passed out to thousands of people that originated from a boy’s lunch They didn’t consider the power and might of God.
Where are you? Are you checking out the land and feeling a tingle of fear crawl up your spine? Are you relating to grasshoppers more than a chosen, loved, protected, and empowered child of the King? Whether you’re sitting in the boat or riding the moving sidewalks, this life we’re called to requires faith to step out of those areas of comfort.
Our God is bigger than any mountain and more powerful than any storm. It’s time to take the land. As entertaining as it might be to ride the sidewalks, I can’t help but imagine the adventure to be had if we’re to take that step of faith. We need to trust that Jesus is who He says He is. He is our salvation (Isaiah 12:2), our provider (Philippians 4:19), our shepherd (Psalm 23), our shield (Psalm 3:3), our refuge and strength (Psalm 91), and our dread champion (Jeremiah 20:11) – there are too many to list!
Whenever you feel afraid of stepping out, take a bit of time to remind yourself of the One who has promised to never leave you or forsake you. It’s time to step off the moving sidewalk and say Now give me this mountain!