Safety Lesson

As I slid toward the edge of the roof, I grabbed the safety belt.  Then I realized the belt wasn't anchored so the safety belt would be no use to me and accompany me over the edge! What was I thinking when I came up to the roof?

We had just started ministry in our first church.  The church needed a new roof. The enthusiastic young pastor had a great idea- to save money the congregation would tear off  the three layers of old roof.  Sounds like fun! 

The assumption was the men would be  on the roof scraping the old shingles to the edge.  The women were on the  ground tossing the old shingles into the dumpsters.  Being a too independent female, I bucked against my assignment.  I watched the men on the roof for a couple of evenings.  I thought

"How hard is that?" 

"I'm not afraid of heights." 

"Why not me?"

"I'm going  up."

So I scrambled up the ladder without announcing my intent.  I didn't ask or inform, just took action.  I was up there for, oh, one minute and felt my feet slipping toward the edge.  I wasn't worried, yet.  A safety belt was within  my reach.  Unfortunately the belt had not been tied off so the belt became my companion, not my salvation, and slid with me toward the edge.

In chapter 1 verses 3-5 Micah announces The Lord is coming down from His dwelling place to the so-called high places of the earth.  The mountains melt like wax before Him.  He comes to combat the idolatry and oppression of the so-called high places.  The people called these high places but The Lord is higher than any high place created.

Many  times in Israelite history God has made it abundantly clear:  Do not worship false gods.  Those high places were the locations of worship to false gods.  The Israelites were doing what "everyone else was doing."  Perhaps they wanted to fit in.  Perhaps they thought they could handle the false worship as well as worshipping The Lord. Perhaps they didn't want to be told what to do, even by God.

That day on the roof, and too many times before and after, I have been just like those Israelites.  I think I know

better than rules,

better than the experienced and mature,

better than God.

I am too often just like Israel, afraid to be set apart from the world to worship the one and only God.  I rebel against His loving ways because  I want what I want. Israel and I think we can make high places, really high  places to show off.  Yet God is higher and  more powerful than anything we can think or make.

God is holy.  He  is so  powerful that those stable and sturdy mountains become like wax and melt.  He loves me so much that when I stray He will come to bring me back to safety, and His safety belts are always tied off!

Pride

Rebellion

Stubbornness

Desire

These threaten  my safety in this world.  They cause me to slide toward the edge.  Thankfully, God is with me and continues to send other "Micahs" me to guide me to the better life, with God, not in spite of God.

I learned a few life lessons that day slipping down the roof.  Check the safety equipment before you need it!  And life is safer following God rather than following my pride, rebellion, stubbornness  and/or desire. God loves me enough to put my feet on solid ground, His ground, even when I get myself close to the edge.  He is the reason I did not go over the edge that day and so many other days since!