Did you watch (maybe with one eye closed)? I must confess that I didn’t know about Nik Wallenda’s death-defying stunt until my twitter feed started blowing up Sunday night.

If the name Wallenda sounds familiar, you’re right. He’s part of the famous “Flying Wallendas” circus family and a 7th generation high-wire artist.

Nik’s stunt involved walking on a 2 inch thick cable for about a quarter mile. He walked and balanced himself 1,500 feet above the Little Colorado River Gorge. That’s near the Grand Canyon. Oh, he did the stunt without a safety harness and winds whipping through the gorge around 20-30 miles per hour.

The devotional writer in me started churning out idea after idea while watching the 22 minute drama play out on live TV…

• Focus on the prize (getting from the start of the gorge across to the end)- Philippians 3:13-14.
• Finding balance in life (he used a balance poll to steady himself on that 2 inch thick cable)- Hebrews 13:5.
• Making it through the storms of life (He performed the stunt as winds between 20 to 35 mph whipped around him through the gorge)- Mark 4:35-41.
• God is our comfort, our rock and security (Did I mention Nik performed the stunt without a harness 1,500 feet in the air???)- Psalm 40:1-2.

Before last night, I had no idea who Nik Wallenda was. I couldn’t pick him out of a lineup of photos. I don’t know what his background is regarding his belief in God.  Almost from the start of his tightrope walk, I was impressed with the words that came from his mouth.

He called on God to give him peace, to calm his nerves. One wrong step or one sudden shift in balance and this stunt would be over. A wife would be a widow. His children would grow up without a father.

Nik murmured short prayers. He asked God to calm the wind and steady the cable. Impressive, especially with a nation and world that is turning more and more away from God was focusing their attention on this daredevil.  Isn’t that just like us? When times are tough in our Christian lives, we call on God to protect us. We find ourselves seeking refuge in God’s protecting arms and His grace.

Isaiah 58:9 paints a beautiful picture for the faithful.  “Then you shall call and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.'” What a beautiful promise from our God. We call and he answers. There’s no dropped call. No voicemail.  We cry and he reassures us, I am here. Don’t worry.

But, our job doesn’t end there with our calling on him to intercede on our behalf.  Verse 9 goes on to say, “If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickendess, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noon-day.”

That’s key for Christians and probably the toughest lesson to learn and put into practice. When we hurt, it’s all about us. “Help me, God,” we might cry out. “Me first!” “No one else matters but MY pain and suffering” we might exclaim to anyone who cares to listen.

Take away the yoke and put the burden on the back burner. You’ve already called on God to help with your issue.  Focus on walking that tightrope through the minefield of pain and hurt and into God’s open arms. Don’t be distracted by moping, blaming others and producing unfruitful speech and thoughts.

Instead shift that focus from you to helping others. And you’re going to be reminded that there are others out there who are hurting just like you, if not more. Your troubles may pale in comparison to a friend or a stranger.  It is a chance to open the door and preach Christ through your actions and words. That pit of despair will turn into a glowing opportunity to show hope to those who see only hopelessness.

It is easier said than done. Trust me. But, God affirms it. “The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong,” Isiaiah 58:11.  If there’s one thing that disappoints me about Nik’s stunt, it happened towards the end as he was reaching his goal and safety of firm ground.

Those mentions of God and brief prayers turned into statements of thanking sponsors and supporters. God wasn’t mentioned much with that starting point and halfway mark in his rear view mirror. Crisis over. All is good.

Isn’t that just like us? We call on God when we need help. When the situation is over, where is God in our lives? Shoved to the corner? Or is He just as prominent as before when we called on Him?

It’s not just a 21st century problem. It was a problem back in the days when Jesus walked on this earth.  Check out Luke 17:11-19 and the story of the ten lepers. They encounter Jesus and ask Him to heal them.  “And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.” (Luke 17:14-16)

Christ’s response then would likely be echoed today when many of us find ourselves emerging from issues that have vexed us.  “‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.'” (Luke 17:17-19)

It is a mark of Christian faith and maturity that we all must strive for. In good times and bad times, is God first and prominent or just a convenient safety net on our journey across the gorge of life?

Continue your time of study with today’s family worship guide >>> Week 26 – Jonathan and David