A Desperate Leap

Imagine for a moment that you are at the scene of a burning building. You notice a crowd of people shouting and pointing up at one end of the building, so you run to see what all the commotion is about. When you arrive, you are told by firemen that a woman is trapped on a ledge three floors up. Her only hope is to jump into the net that has been set up right below her.

As you peer through the smoke, you finally catch a glimpse of the woman. She is obviously scared and confused. You see the net not too far from where you are standing. It certainly looks strong enough to hold the woman, and apparently, the firemen are confident that if she will simply jump, her life will be spared.

Suddenly, without warning the woman screams and leaps from the building. The firemen brace themselves to help absorb the impact of the woman’s body as she hits the safety net. As the sides of the net are lowered, you see that the woman escaped with only minor injuries. The crowd cheers and you go on your merry way.

Now, think for a moment. What saved the woman’s life?

The net, of course. No one would credit her with saving her own life. Fortunately for her, trained firemen were on the spot who knew how to handle emergencies. They formulated a plan, went to work on it, and carried it out.

But what bridged the gap between her need and the provision waiting below? One desperate leap! However, leaping did not save her. Many people have jumped from burning buildings only to end up dead on the pavement below. The net and the firemen saved her.

So it is with faith. Faith does not save a person. Everybody has expressed faith at some point or another. Yet not everyone will spend eternity in heaven. God’s grace is what saves us. Our faith, however, is the thing that bridges the gap between our need and God’s provision. Once we believe, we are saved.

Taken from The NKJV Daily Bible