Cliff “Hanger”

I was talking the other day to my wonderful Christian brother and counselor, Steve Lynam, and he reminded me again of this truth:

The real truth of the gospel – the real freedom we have in Christ – is so close to heresy that most people never really live in the fullness of it for fear of going too far.

Isn’t that true?

I realize how fearfully I have lived most of my life – shrinking back from the joy and freedom I could have experienced for fear of what others thought or fear of taking advantage of God’s goodness. To be honest, for me it has been much more the former rather than the latter. I have friends that probably struggle more with “going too far” – living too freely or in too much pride. It is possible to think too highly of yourself or too lowly of yourself. Neither way is the way of the Father.

As I left Steve’s office and was driving down the road, I was thinking of a “picture” that illustrates this truth quite well. Of course, all analogies are not perfect, but try this out anyway:

Imagine a cliff overlooking an incredible panoramic landscape below – maybe a beautiful valley with a river, lush vegetation, big sky above you, etc. Approaching the cliff are woods with paths leading up to the overlook. Just over the cliff are jagged and treacherous rocks all the way down to the valley floor. One false step and severe injury or death is certain.

Now, imagine that “hanging out” on the cliff is the fullest freedom any of us can have in any particular area of our life in Christ. Real freedom from sin (even though we may still mess up at times), from beating ourselves up (even though we may be down on ourselves occasionally), etc.  On the cliff, the view is incredible! Life is thrilling – you can feel the wind, experience the warmth of the sunshine, see for miles around. It is like heaven on earth!

It can be dangerous too. You must have a firm footing to avoid being blown off by a powerful gust. You must watch your step as you walk around, careful for loose stones or getting too close to the edge. You must watch out for storms, thunder and lightning. It is better to have a companion with you who can watch out for you and you for him.

The dangers of the cliff can make you at times want to retreat to the safety of the approaching trails. The tree cover can give safety from the storms or the heat of the day. Or, you may even choose to dwell in the safety of the trails altogether, never venturing up to the overlook. You maybe have heard of the dangers of the cliff and how staying where you are is better – at least safer. You may be able to see the cliff from where you are and even get a glimpse of the views in the distance. You may even know people who have gone to the cliff and heard stories of the joy, freedom and beauty of that place. It may inspire you to one day go there too, if you’re willing to risk it.

Others have gone to the cliff and not been careful. Some got too close to the edge and fell over, severely injuring themselves and others – either by holding on to their hands and pulling them over too or by not thinking of others and being too careless. Some were alone and had no one to rescue them from falling. Those that went over the edge experienced a sudden “crash” as they pounded on the rocks below. Some don’t make it back – ever. Some survive, but there may be a long journey back to the top of the cliff – to healing and wholeness. For awhile, they no longer have that distant, panoramic view. They are limited to see only what immediately surrounds them. The air is calmer but stagnant in the valley. Fresh air is harder to come by.

So, where do you dwell mostly? Where do you want to dwell? Paul has a lot to say about this in Romans and i Corinthians:

• “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” That would be a boundary at the cliff’s edge, protecting us from going over.
• “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” That would be a sign encouraging us to go on up to see the view at the top!
• twice in I Corinthians, Paul states that “Everything is permissable to me, but not everything is beneficial.” We’re free, really free to do everything – but not everything would be for our good, the good of others or honoring to God. That would be a guideline for how to experience the fullness of the cliff and not get hurt or hurt others.

I’m sure there is a lot more to this. I’d love to hear comments.

I want to be a cliff “hanger”! That’s where I want to dwell.