Beautiful People, 

During the Christmas break, my wife and I had the opportunity to tandem skydive in Queenstown, New Zealand. The sensation of falling out of a perfectly functionating plane at 11,000 feet is indescribable. The concept of self-preservation is numbed at the excitement of experiencing flight for a minuscule portion of time. Nevertheless, Tandem skydiving was exhilarating and brought its fair share of spiritual applications. Tandem skydiving takes two, the instructor and the student. The instructor is harnessed to the student and guides them throughout the jump till they safely land. The student-instructor relationship is essential to each jump's success, especially the student's adherence to the instructor's guidance. A good instructor distills the fear of their students through their conduct and expertise. While I was 11,000 feet in the air, I had no choice but to trust the experience and competence of my skydiving instructor. My faith was in him.

The concept of tandem diving is not dissimilar to Christ's instructions in Matthew 16:24, "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me," and Matthew 11:28, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." The beauty of the Christian experience is a continual trust in the character of Jesus Christ as the Instructor of our lives. His expertise, conduct, and competency are needed to navigate this sinful world's harsh terrain. Christ knows the way to the Father, and though it may seem scary to trust Him, His guidance is trustworthy. As we fell from 11,000 ft to 9,000 feet, I became comfortable and enjoyed the dive. Faith yields joy. As we practice self-denial and remember that we are yoked (connected) to Christ, our Instructor, our joy overcomes fear as we delight in doing His will. Jesus is the good tandem master that distills all fear and fosters heavenly courage and joy. Before you jump into today, secure yourself to Him.