by leaps and bounds

Then said Jesus unto His disciples, “If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

The little bird has a few feathers. Possibly not enough to fly, but enough to want to. It steps out of its nest onto the narrow shelf of the window awning.

Curiously, the bird carefully toes the edge. It looks down. It looks up. It looks all around.

Precariously, the little one teeters on the edge and nearly falls. It wants to fly, but it can’t let go. Finally, it returns to the nest and awkwardly gets back into safety.

That is how our faith sometimes functions. We want to take the plunge into full trust and commitment, but we cannot let go. Like the bird on the narrow ledge, we have become accustomed to living on the edge. Sin and lack of commitment to God keep us from doing what we know we should do. We return to the comfort of the nest.

However, we need to understand that a bird’s nest is temporary. The pleasure of sin is temporary. The lack of commitment is temporary because someday we must give an account for ourselves.

So, let us determine to let go of the things that hold us back. Let’s take the plunge that must be taken in order for us to excel at living a life of faith in God.

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Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.