There was a great hill
outside the first house where my family lived when my brother and I were born.
We would climb to the top and take turns rolling down that hill. It was too
much fun for a couple little boys. As we got older, simply rolling lost some of
its flare, so we started throwing each other down so we could roll faster than
before. Most of the time it went off without a hitch. But on one Sunday
afternoon, when we were making our jaunts down the hill, something went wrong.
My brother took my arm and gave me the usual spin then drop move, but my body
didn’t cooperate. Instead of landing and rolling, I sailed for a few feet and
then landed flat on my back, knocking the air out of my lungs.
That
is a terrifying feeling if you’ve ever experienced it. I remember jumping up
and struggling to catch my breath. It seemed an eternity before I was able to
finally to gasp a couple deep breaths of lung-filling, life giving air. There
might be a few other times I’ve had the wind knocked out of me, but I will never forget that day!
I
also won’t forget some of the other moments when I’ve found my breath taken away. When my
grandfather gave me my very first truck. Viewing my first stunning sunset from
the beach. Seeing my beautiful wife walk down the aisle on our wedding day. And
gazing into my son’s eyes, the pools of wonder that they were, right after he
was born. There have been others and I hope there will be more. These
breathtaking moments provide vivid memories I will carry with me the rest of my
life. What are some of the breathtaking moments of your life?
Breathtaking
moments are important for us. They sear the notion in our minds of just how
small we are; how vast the world is; and how much we need to connect with the
power that grants life and offers these precious snapshots in time.
That
brings me to another breathtaking moment in my life—the moment I realized that
God loved me! It was at a concert given by my favorite Christian musician,
Steven Curtis Chapman. Toward the conclusion of his show, he told about how God
has created us to know Him, to know peace, and bask in the glory of His love. I
had heard those words countless times before, but in that moment in time, my
breath was taken, and I became a Christian. In the moments that followed, as I
took hold of Jesus, it was clear to me like never before that Jesus had always
been holding me!
In
the book of Romans, Paul wrote, “If death got the upper hand through one man's
wrongdoing, can you imagine the breathtaking
recovery life makes, sovereign life, in those who grasp with both hands this
wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand setting-everything-right, that the one
man Jesus Christ provides?” (Romans 5.15b, MSG, emphasis mine)
Just
thinking about the ridiculous and dangerous circumstances that first taught me
what it is like to have my breath taken away makes me laugh. But thanks to that
experience, I can know how awesome it is when my breath is truly taken away.
Paul says correctly that perhaps the most breathtaking moment in any of our lives
comes when we turn away from our wrongdoing and grab with both hands the offer
Jesus gives us for life and life eternal. And when we take hold of the hands of
God, we realize His hands have always been holding us!
So
here’s a little practical advice for you: take hold of the moments that take
your breath away. Gawk at the beauty of God’s creation. Stand amazed at the
love of those who care for you unconditionally. And place above all others the
moment when you first realize that in God’s love you can find the greatest of
all these breathtaking moments: your salvation!
