The First-Step Principle

Most of us love to hear all about how powerful God is. The Bible is full of images of God to reassure us: He is a rock, a fortress, a strong tower, a king and a warrior. He makes the clouds his chariots and rides on the wings of the wind. We are told that God makes the earth tremble by a look, he makes the mountains smoke at a touch, and when he raises his voice the earth melts.


But here is the problem: That information alone is not sufficient enough to create courage in me. Information alone does not transform my heart and character. What is required is a first step.


First-step stories are abundant in the Bible: The priests had to put their feet into the Jordan before the raging waters receded; Moses had to pick up the snake by the tail as a first-step of his belief in God's power; Naaman had to wash himself seven times in the river before he was cured of leprosy; the loaves and fishes had to be relinquished before the feeding-the-multitude-miracle could take place; Peter had to actual step out of the boat on the water before he could walk to Jesus.

The First-Step Principle involves not only a mental acknowledgement of God's power, but requires a step of action based on the assumption that God is trustworthy as well. When we do take that first step the implications are often not fully comprehended or understood. It's a good thing we don't know or we might not ever take that first step.

But when I say yes...

...leave my family and friends to travel 3000 miles across country to join a ministry; decide that Julie is my pick for life; move from Californa to Virginia to go to seminary; attempt to plant a church in Tampa; put flesh to a 3/4 million dollar renovation idea to fuel a church's relational outreach; step out and leave the security of a church to move to the state of Washington; start the process of obtaining my doctorate; and trust God without a job while looking for a place of ministry...

...I set in motion an adventure that will leave me forever changed!

Faith and trust always require a first step.