Most of us sat wide-eyed as Indiana Jones faced one of the most crucial tests in his search for the Holy Grail. He had come to the edge of the rock ledge, the edge of possibility and all he could see was the vast abyss that separated him from the prize he was after. Moving forward, required a leap of faith. That scene reminds me of a quote from Edward Teller: “When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it’s time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things will happen. Either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.”
Indiana Jones was smart. He was a researcher and a scientist. He had discovered the path to the Holy Grail by great effort, and the help of Hollywood. Ultimately, he reached the edge of all he knew, and he had a choice to make. Turning back would have seemed sensible. The Knight who guarded the Grail would have deemed him wise. But something deep inside of him, told him he could step out into the abyss, and all would be well. For some of us, accepting the invitation of Jesus is like that. We are close to the edge, genuinely ready to answer His call, but the abyss of the world with all its traps and temptations looms heavy upon us. We imagine that somehow our own intelligence will be enough, but sometimes, being smart isn’t all there is. Faith doesn’t make sense to our limited intellect, so how do we take that next step? The Knight (Jesus) sees us coming and knows we’ll be on solid ground. He waits patiently for us to choose to take a leap of faith. The good news is that every human being who ever existed got to the edge of all they knew, and then they had to choose. One by one, they came to the answer for themselves. You can tool
Like Indiana Jones, we get clues along the way, the kind that take us right to the edge. When we get there, we can take the biggest step of our lives. No one else can do it for us. No one else can take our hand. We simply have to take that step which guides us into a lasting relationship with the One who is the Holy Grail. With Him, we are always on solid ground because He goes before us to guide us from that moment on. The world will always be an abyss that seeks to tempt you and make you fall. What a relief it is to know that Jesus stands in the gap, ready to hold us up wherever we go.
Keep choosing to follow where He leads. Who knows, you may be taught to fly!