Henri Nouwen writes about a famous trapeze act called “The Flying Rodley’s.” He watched them perform and then he got to know them pretty well. There were five members in the act. There were three flyers and two catchers.
Trapeze groups are pretty much made up of flyers and catchers. So Henri Nouwen spent true quality time with this family and learned some valued insights about the trade.
He learned that flyers are small and weigh 150 pounds or less because if you are a catcher, you don’t want a flyer that has spent too much time at the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet. I learned that I wouldn’t make a very good flyer at all unless I cut myself in half.
Henri also learned about the equipment that the Flying Rodley’s would take them. They had socks with magnesium dry powder for their hands, especially for Joe Rodley, because Joe was one of the catchers. The other Rodley members gave out a not-so-wonderful family secret and that was that Joe sweats a lot. If you are a flyer, you don’t want a catcher with sweaty hands!
This is where I want to bring this story into the light about our need for trusting God. A flyer must have complete faith in his catcher. The public might think that the star of the trapeze show is the flyer, but the true key to the success of the program is Joe, the catcher.
Joe has to be there for the flyer with split second precision and grab that jumper out of the air as he or she soars over to him in flight. Nouwen asked, “How does it work?” I love the answer! Are you ready? Here it is.
“The catcher does everything. When the flyer flies to Joe, he or she simply stretches out their hands and waits.” Henri inquired again with, “You do nothing?” And back came the response, “The flyer must fly and the catcher must catch.
The flyer must trust with outstretched arms that the catcher will be there waiting.” The Rodley’s call this “The Dance of Trust.” It involves three moves for the flyer. The flyer lets go of the trapeze, and then waits and then gets caught. Letting go, waiting and getting caught.
If life is a dance then we have just learned the steps of faith. God comes to us and says, “Let go! Will you please let go and trust Me?” God comes to Abraham and says, “Let go of everything familiar. Let go of your family, your home, your culture, and go where I tell you to go. Will you do that? Will you let go?”
Jesus comes to the rich young ruler one day. He loves him and asks, “Will you let go of your trapeze?” The rich young ruler’s trapeze was called money. Jesus beckoned with, “will you give away all of your possessions and sell them and give the money to the poor and come follow Me?”
What does God ask us to let go of? Anything that will keep our hands out of His Hands. Let go of that relationship if it dishonors God. Let go of your attachment to things that keeps you from a real relationship. Let go of your power and learn to be a servant. Let go of your addiction. Admit it. Get Help.
Let go of that habit. Let go of that grudge. Let go of your ego, your pride, your money, your reputation, and your disobedience.
God will come to you and ask you to “Let go!” And then God will ask you to “Wait!” Does anybody reading this like to wait? Does anybody reading this wait recreationally?
Waiting is the in between time when I have responded to God, but things are not yet the way I want them to be. Things are not yet the way that God wants them to be. And yet, I must keep obeying, and I must trust and I must keep holding out my hands.
If I had a nickel for every time I have prayed, “God, I can’t make things turn out the way that I want them to be. I don’t have control.” I would be a very rich man today. Why are we so afraid to totally let go? Why do we offer God only our pinkie instead of both of our hands outstretched to Him in total obedience and childlike faith? Will we ever learn the “Dance of Trust?”
The flyer can do nothing. The catcher must do everything. And one day you will let go and one day you will take your last breath and your hands will go slack and the trapeze will fall from your hands. The real question is, “What happens then?” Some believe that this is the end. No safety net provided.
Some believe that the neurons that you mistakenly add up to a soul will just stop firing on that day. Some say that the six trillion atoms that were employed by your body will find positions somewhere else and the universes will neither know nor care. Not me.
I have learned that God will not let me stumble and He will not let me fall. Because I have allowed God to catch me in life, I know He will catch me in death and just take me to another address. I am the flyer and Jesus is my Catcher and He does not have sweaty hands. Let go, wait and know the joy of being caught by two powerful nail scarred Hands of love.
Write Pastor Rudy pastorrudytlc@comcast.net
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
