Are We Really Leaning on Jesus?

We've all heard the phrase "leaning on Jesus." No doubt, we've all said or sung the phrase. But, have we ever stopped to really think about what it means to lean on Jesus? Let's try this little experiment.

Go lean on the wall. I mean, really lean on it. Put all your weight on the wall. Now, imagine that someone pulled that wall out from under you. Would you fall? If you truly had all your weight on the wall, yes, you would fall. However, what many of us consider "leaning" is not really leaning at all. We set up "safety nets" to ensure that if anything happens, we won't fall. Those safety nets come in all shapes and sizes, but we all have them. Sometimes it's our job. Sometimes it's our family or friends. Sometimes we find it in places we would never expect.

Now, that being said, do we really lean on Jesus or do we have safety nets all around for the times that things don't go the way we think they should? Peter leaned on Jesus when he walked on the water. He stepped out onto the waves and away from the boat, trusting that Jesus would keep him safe. Do we do the same or are we reaching out to Jesus with one hand while clutching the boat with the other hand? Listen to how Pastor Ron Mehl puts it:

You aren't truly trusting until you're slightly out of control--like Peter when he stepped out on the water. You aren't truly trusting until you've leaned so hard on Him that if you fell, you couldn't catch yourself. Trust means setting aside all secondary options, backup systems, and emergency parachutes. Trust says, "I've gone so far now that there's no return for me. If God doesn't save me and hold me up, I'll go under."

Oh, that we could all have faith such as that. Let that be our prayer today!

For a real blessing, check out Ron Mehl's book:
What God Whispers in the Night