Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One
Friday, July 14, 2023
“Remember, therefore, it is not your hold of Christ that saves you – it is Christ; it is not your joy in Christ that saves you – it is Christ; it is not even your faith in Christ, although that is the instrument – it is Christ’s blood and merits. Therefore, do not look so much to your hand with which you are grasping Christ as to Christ; do not look to your hope but to Jesus, the source of your hope; do not look to your faith, but to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of your faith.” – C.H. Spurgeon
Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One was released this week and I am sure that movie theaters across America were filled to watch Tom Cruise portray Ethan Hunt once again. Deanna and I hope to see it as well because we both like action thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat.
Cruise has a well-earned reputation for performing his own stunts in his films, which is all the more remarkable because he is no longer a spring chicken. At age 61, Cruise is just two years younger than me… and I can assure you that you will not see me riding a motorcycle at breakneck speed or jumping out of an airplane anytime soon (or ever!)
Not having seen the movie yet, I imagine that there is at least one scene where Cruise hangs onto a moving train – or the edge of a cliff – with one hand or less. Well, guess what? No matter how hard you train, supporting your body weight by your fingernails is “mission impossible.”
Likewise, hanging onto Jesus sounds relatively easy, but in reality, it isn’t. This fallen world claws away at us every hour of every day, trying to loosen our grasp on Him. And, truth be told, we would simply give up and let go if it were up to our own limited strength and dexterity. However, thanks be to God, He refuses to allow that to happen. After all, we may think we are holding onto Him, but He is actually holding onto us.
So, rest and relax in the palm of Jesus’ and the Father’s hands.
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” John 10:28-29 (BSB)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
