We lived in Chicago for one year.
But we left before the Sears Tower opened its glass-bottomed sky deck. One hundred and three stories above ground. I don’t know if I would have had the courage to step out onto it anyway.
The glass is four 1-1/2-inch-thick and can hold about five tons; much more weight than they are expected to have to carry when they have a full group of visitors, and also higher than the two tons required by city code.
I still don’t know if I could do it.
Could you?
Could you look at what your brain tells you is impossible and make your feet walk forward regardless?
Could you trust the architect you’ve never met? Would you believe that his design would support you?
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Sometimes we think this is a complicated truth. Perhaps we are the complicated ones.
We understand about gravity and velocity and what should and shouldn’t be able to support our weight. We calculate risk and rely on our own judgment. It’s what we know. It’s solid.
And it can paralyze us.
Perhaps we need to let go, unclench our white knuckles, and believe what the builder promised.
“Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Mark 13:15 (NIV).
I want to run right out into the middle of the seeming nothingness and admire the view with Him. I do not want to doubt. I want to do what my boys would do.
I want to dance.
*All photos by UPI Photo/Brian Kersey
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I want to dance, too!
I was thinking of this very thing yesterday while ziplining! The course had 5 ziplines, and the last one was the HIGHEST and the LONGEST. While I was timid at the first one, I was over it by the last. I ran off the ramp and leaped into the air!
Oh, the view of Him I got! Beautiful!
Love this post and love you, Lisa-Jo!
Dang, you are one cool ziplining mama, fo sho!
I,d be happy just trusting…
Me too.
I SO want to dance and let all the fear and doubts slide away! This reminds me of the Space Needle in Seattle–I did NOT like the floor, but I did it anyway. Though, I definitely didn’t dance and fully enjoy as much as I could have…
Some days I dance. But some days I am just proud to have been able to put one foot in front of the other.
Beautiful post and I couldn’t help but do a little gasp at thinking of your babies up there!
I think sometimes as moms, we don’t have a hard time making leaps of faith for ourselves…I would totally step on that glass…but, it’s hard to let our kids leap into the unknown. I know when I stood at the border of China and my 4 year old was escorted past the guards without me (was with a team member), I didn’t know if we’d pass our inspection and meet him…well, I knew I’d never be the same again.
~kristin
No, no those aren’t my babies in the pics – and I had the same reaction when I first saw them. Hard to believe kids can be so fearless. It’s so much harder for us parents!
What a great parallel! I grew up just minutes outside of Chicago and have been to the top of the tower, but not since they made this. I don’t know if I could do it!
Me either – to both points!
great post…we were in Chicago in Dec 08 but I didn’t do this…must be newer than that b/c i would have at least attempted it!
We studied this scripture yesterday at church! GOOD STUFF!
Without faith it is impossible to please GOD! Thanks for the reminder!
BTW, I LOVE the pics! What brave kids…isn’t that how we are to come to Him, in CHILD like faith!
Perfect pictures!
I know – I thought the same thing – oh to have the courage of a child!! (These aren’t my kids, but I sure enjoyed watching them get their brave on!
The pictures gave me butterflies in my stomach!! But, then I kept reading and saw the wonderful parallel you were drawing!! It is so true!! I want to have a life built on complete trust in my Creator!
They give me butterflies as well!
Oh to have the faith like a child!!!!
Thank you, this is a great post!!!
What a great post! Funny, this is the 2nd devotional I read today & Hebrews 11:1 was the subject of both…think He’s trying to tell me something?
I’m sure of it!
Ooo what was the other one? I’d love to read it too.
My momma heart is pounding! I wanted to rush in & “save” those kids from the danger I saw for them.
Lord, help me not only to trust you despite my logic, but to not hold my children back from trusting you by my fears.
I could not, would not stand on that. I will not walk neither here nor there… not on glass, even with a mat. That doesn’t mean that I don’t love God. I just do it while standing on sod. *grin*
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE this post!!!
And… I seriously don’t know if I could do it.
Trusting God seems easier than trusting glass. LOL.
this makes me want to throw up when i look at it. in a good way. in a my-stomach-is-going-to-fall-out-the-bottom-of-my-feet-because-i’m so scared-like-when-you-are-going-down-a-rollercoaster-scared….
but
i am having the screaming-at-the-top-of-my-lungs incredible time.
i want to always remember the “i am having an incredible time” part of faith
Wow, what great pictures and what a great post. Such a vivid picture of what it’s like to step out in faith… and not only to step out, but to step out with freedom and excitement. A hard thing to do when “the weight of the world” feels like it’s pressing in…. but so worth it. I always love reading your thoughts.
What a wonderful post. Inspiring. I want to dance too. xox
Thanks – a timely word for my life. Just Believe.
Some days it comes easier than others, doesn’t it?
I love this analogy!!!
That being said, I would probably vomit…then wet my pants…then faint if someone tried to make me stand on that!!
No, please, tell us how you really feel!
love the analogy….but as an engineer, I am incredibly risk adverse so NO I would not do it OR let my children. There is such a thing as “rate of failure” and I just can’t get past it.
Once I had my physic classes, and other engineering classes, I never rode a roller coaster, flew on an air plane or rode in an elevator without an element of fear again. Sorry…
Yikes, you’re right – and now you’ve got me second guessing elevators….