June 25
The Edge
of Trust
“Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’”
Matthew 4:7 (NIrV)
Spencer loved the rush of adrenaline. Ever since he was a teenager, he had been captivated by the freedom of the wind rushing past his face and the exhilaration of defying gravity. Skydiving was his sport of choice. At first, it was a hobby, a weekend thrill to break up the monotony of his office job. But as time passed, Spencer began pushing the boundaries.
It wasn’t enough to simply jump out of a plane anymore. He needed more danger, more thrill. Base jumping off cliffs, wingsuit flying through narrow mountain passes—each challenge became more extreme. His friends admired his bravery, but some started to worry. “How far is too far?” his best friend, Maya, asked one day.
Spencer just shrugged. “I know what I’m doing. Besides, life’s no fun if you’re always playing it safe.”
But deep down, Spencer wasn’t so sure. Lately, his jumps felt less like fun and more like a desperate attempt to prove something—to himself, to the world. He felt invincible, but a nagging voice in the back of his mind kept asking, “What if?”
One crisp morning, Spencer found himself standing on the edge of a jagged cliff in Norway, suited up for a wingsuit jump. The view was breathtaking—snow-dusted peaks, a river winding far below, and a sky so blue it seemed endless. But as he prepared to jump, his heart raced for a different reason.
This jump was riskier than anything he’d attempted before. The pass was narrow, with sharp rocks on either side. One miscalculation could cost him everything. Yet, a part of him craved the challenge. “I’ve got this,” he muttered, trying to steady his breathing.
As he leaned forward to jump, a sudden gust of wind pulled him back, and he stumbled. The moment jolted him, and he sat down on the edge of the cliff, his heart pounding. He stared at the drop below, his hands trembling. For the first time, he felt the weight of what he was doing—not just the physical risk, but the spiritual one.
He remembered a verse he had heard in church years ago: “Do not test the Lord your God.” Was that what he had been doing all along? Testing God, assuming that no matter how reckless he was, God would always catch him?
Spencer closed his eyes and whispered a prayer. “God, I’ve been chasing thrills, thinking I was in control, but I see now how foolish I’ve been. Please forgive me. Help me to trust You with my life—not to test You, but to honor You.”
As he sat there, the peace that washed over him was unlike anything he’d ever felt from a jump. He packed up his gear and hiked back down the mountain, knowing that this wasn’t the end of his adventures, but the start of something new. For the first time, Spencer felt free—not because he was defying gravity, but because he was surrendering to God.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your constant protection, even when we don’t always recognize it.
Like Spencer, we sometimes push limits and test Your grace, forgetting the wisdom You’ve given us.
Forgive us for our recklessness and pride.
Lord, help us to trust You with our lives, to seek Your guidance instead of chasing our own desires.
Teach us to honor You in all we do and to find joy and fulfillment in Your presence, not in dangerous pursuits.
Thank You for being patient with us and for leading us back to You when we wander.
We surrender our fears, our pride, and our need for control into Your loving hands.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
