Tuesday, January 27, 2009

A Complete Staircase


“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

When I read this quote from Martin Luther King a vision of my husband and I’s first home and the driveway to it came to mind. We lived off on a dirt road that was not visible from the main highway. Sounding almost like Martin Luther King I tried my best to include in my directions to my home a little encouragement, “You may not see the road but its there just turn to your left. You’ll see it when you drop down.” To some people it definitely took that first step of faith to trust my instructions and believe in my reassurance that there really was a road there.

Recently I have been finding journal entries I wrote over 22 years ago when I had epilepsy. The dates on the entries were dated 1986 just 4 years before I was cured of my epilepsy. At the time as I was writing in my journey little did I know where the road was going to take me. I had just been told the year before in 1985 that 90% of my seizures were stressed caused. They said if I wanted to qualify for the surgery to cure the remaining 10% of true epileptic seizures I had to get rid of the stress seizures first.

In 1986 that was exactly what I was trying to do as I was in the process of taking that first step of faith. I had boldly told the doctors at the epileptic clinic I didn’t need the psychiatrist they recommended. No, they were the ones that needed them for telling me 90% of my seizures were stressed caused. Talk about open mouth, insert foot! Unavailable to me at the time was a view of the whole staircase but yet it was up to me to take the first step in faith. It was a step towards a possible cure that didn’t come with any guarantees.

It was almost like the time I went with the youth group to a water theme park. The kids I was supervising decided for me that I needed to go down the big slide. And I am talking BIG! Being the coward that I am I tried to back out of the task but found myself walking one step at a time up the long staircase, saying a word of prayer with every step I took. Standing at the top looking down the slide I could clearly see my destination below. Just one more step and I was there ready to be, what I felt was, launched. After that it was quiet the ride to the end but I made it. I have to confess it turned out to be kind of fun.

Often that first step of faith in Christ can be the same way. We don’t have a clue what lies ahead. At the theme park I could see what was ahead but for all I knew I could have gotten caught in the tube or launched into orbit at the other end or have a heart attack halfway down. At least those were my fears. No matter what our fears we can’t let that stop us, the road may not be visible but its there. The staircase does come complete.

We may wind up going on “quiet a ride” but if we stick with God we will make it to the end. Life is a journey full of unknown steps, roads, and destinations with no guarantees but the faith we have in God will see us through them all. Our destination is Heaven. Our travel agent and companion is Jesus. Don’t be afraid to take that first step. A leap of faith gets us further any day than our fears.

Take hold of God’s hand as He takes hold of your heart and together you can successfully complete that first step of faith. Indeed, the first of many steps of faith that will come up in your life over the years. Praise the Lord the staircase comes complete.


Our Host this week is Denise over at her blog full of cute teddy bear’s called ShortyBear’s Place get over there quickly and share with us on today’s quote.

4 comments:

Denise said...

Wonderful thoughts sweetie, thanks for sharing.

Laurie Ann said...

Very inspirational and faith-filled post! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!

Tami said...

The staircase does come complete.

Isn't that the truth?! I suppose if we saw the whole thing it wouldn't be as exciting, huh?

Patricia said...

How reassuring to know that "God will see us through..." Thank you for a great post. Faith steps are real examples of trust in the One who is always faithful!