Standing in a Rocking Chair

A friend of mine recently posted a story on Facebook that touched my heart and through which the Holy Spirit spoke to me.  I want to share it with you.

His little girl loves her rocking chair, however, like most toddlers can’t be left unattended while rocking or she will stand up in the chair.  On this particular day as he watched her rock, he had to remind her numerous times not to stand up.  At one point she turned herself upside down in the rocker.  As you would expect the rocking tipped forward so her head was almost to the floor.  Realizing she was about to fall head first to the floor caused her to react in two ways: first she grabbed the arms of the chair in a death grip; second, she cried out, “DADDY!” Of course Daddy came running and rescued her before she was harmed.  He then held her to reassure her that she was safe and loved.

I want to make some basic observations from this story then dig into the Word to look at each one from a Biblical perspective.

Observation 1: The rocking chair is both safe and unsafe.

Observation 2: The temptation to stand or sit incorrectly was strong.

Observation 3: When things went wrong she held on and cried for help.

Observation 4: Daddy was there to rescue and reassure her.

Let’s dig in…

1. The rocking chair here represents our life on this earth.  We live in a fallen world.  When we live our lives according to God’s plan we can find safety in Him.  However, when we choose to live life as we see fit and obey the lusts of our flesh we will find life both difficult and even dangerous. 

I want to add a disclaimer here: Even believers must face trials, struggles, and often dangers. John records for us the Words of Christ when he was talking to his disciples about leaving them.  In John 16:33 (Jesus tells them), “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. (Then he warns them) Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. (Finally, he encourages them) But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (NLT)

For the believer the dangers of this life can all be faced with bold confidence in the fact that we are not walking through them alone. 

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (NIV) Here God is admonishing His people (us): A. To be strong and courageous. B. Not to be afraid. C. To remember that He is with us and He will never leave us or forsake us.

Webster’s online dictionary defines strong as: not mild or weak.  It gives the following antonyms for strong: delicate, feeble, frail, weak, weakling, wimpy. 

Webster’s defines courageous as: brave, showing courage (the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous).  Antonyms for courageous: coward, cowardly, fainthearted, fearful, gutless, weak hearted.

God is telling us to walk courageously.  Not to shrink away from the challenges and dangers we face, but to face them head on, remembering the He is with us and He will never leave us alone. 

Like the rocking chair, life can be both safe and unsafe depending on whose path we are following.  If we are walking hand in hand with our Savior, then even in the midst of the storm we are safe and sound because our God is walking with us and is our protector and strength.

Psalm 46:1-2 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.

2. Temptation is a very real and it exerts great pressure on our lives. 

We see the power temptation wields all the way back in Genesis 3. When Satan came to Eve he: A. Pointed out how beautiful the fruit was. B. He caused her to question God’s Words. C. He told her that God was holding out on her.

The enemy has not changed his tactics in all these years.  When he begins working on us through temptation he begins by pointing out how good the sin looks.  He will point out how much “better” our lives will be if we only try it.  He will draw our attention to others who participate in the particular sin he is pushing on us; however, he will only show us the “good” side of their experience.  He will work on us until we really believe we can’t live without it. 

Another tactic he uses is twisting God’s Word.  In Genesis 2:16-17 we read, And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Then in 3:1 we read, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 

The serpent took God’s words and twisted them just enough to sound right.  He will do the same thing in our life if we are not grounded in the Word.  We must be people of the Word. We must read, meditate on, and memorize the Word.  If we don’t we will not know if what we are hearing is truth or lie. Remember, half-truth, even three quarters truth is not truth at all!

Psalm 119:11 (NIV) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

The third tactic the enemy uses against us is to make us feel like we are missing out on something.  I am sure we all know an unbeliever whose life looks blessed.  No matter what they do they make money, they have good health, the own a big house, etc.  We see the way they live and if we are honest we might have even asked the Lord why, when we are trying to walk according to His path/ Word we struggle with the very things they seem to have in abundance. Again, we only see the “good life” they appear to have; we don’t see the inner struggles and pain.

This is a scheme of the enemy.  If he can get us to focus on what we “don’t have” or what someone else does have, he can get our eyes off of Christ.  When our focus is off of Christ, getting us to fall into sin is not far off. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

We must LOOK for the way of escape. It is always there but we have to be intentional in our walk with the Lord and purpose each day to look for the way out of every temptation that the enemy tries to throw at us. 

We also have this promise in 1 John 2:1 “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.” (NLT) Even when we fail to find the way out and give into the temptation, Jesus himself pleads our case before the Father.  He reminds his Father that we are “the righteousness of God in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

3. When things go wrong we must hold on and cried for help.

We can hold onto the promises of God in every circumstance we face. Hebrews 10:23 (NLT) Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.  2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT) For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

A few examples:

A. God will provide for our needs. Philippians 4:19 (NIV) And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

B. We can be healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

C. We don’t have to live in fear.  2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.  John 4:18 (NIV) There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We can cry out to God for help in our time of need.

Matthew 8:23-27 (NLT) Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. 27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him.

When we are in the midst of the storm we, like the disciples, can call out to Jesus and He will calm the storm. 

4. Our Father will be there to rescue and reassure us.

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

The next time you see a rocking chair, remember: The world can be a dangerous place, temptation is very real, however, God always provides a way of escape when we face temptation, when things go wrong we need to hold onto the promises and cry to our Father for help, and He will be there to rescue and reassure us!!