Slacklining Your Life
Ever heard of slacklining? It’s like the new weird hippie thing (which I’ll admit I’ve done this multiple times before) and it’s really simple. You tie a flat rope to a tree and then make it really tight and tie it to another tree. Then the goal is walk across the line from one tree to another. That’s the beginner’s stuff though. The experts do it like this, they tie the slackline from one end of a canyon and then tie it to the other end. Then they walk through it with nothing to save them if they fall. The world record is currently, 360 feet across (again with no rope) and it was 660 feet down (still no rope). Basically, that’s tight roping outside from the back of the end zone to the back of the end zone of a football field, and then double that on the way down. Crazy right?
The first tip to slacklining is to never look down, always look ahead at your destination. Your feet will do the rest. It’s counter intuitive I know, but when you are looking at where you want to go in the big picture, then all the little steps will begin to work out.
Our lives, and our hearts are no different. The Bible says, “[We] fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2a). Let’s take the fix our eyes part and put it into slacklining. If Jesus is where we look ahead to, then all of our life will begin to come together. When we look down at our feet, or our daily circumstances, our desires of our heart, or our pursuit for enjoyment, then we will begin to fail.
I want to ask you a question then, what are you fixing your eyes on? Maybe not in terms of the job you want or the college education your hoping for. Who do you want to become? We only become that person by fixing our eyes exactly on what that is. As we have learned, our hearts will deceive us, but Jesus never will. He wants what is best for us, and he never does us harm.
I encourage you then, that being just like Jesus become your goal. It is mine. Each morning, I ask God for the strength to be more like his Son. For the rest of the day, I am fixing my eyes on the prize – Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of my faith. My friends, may God bless you as you look to his Son. – Jack Hein
Journal Guide: Answer these questions alone in your journal. They will help you process what God might be trying to tell you.
1. Let’s take a time inventory, write down how you usually spend your time each day. How often and fore long do you read, play video games, work out go for a run, spend time with God. Take off the things you have to do like school, or a job you may have. What is left? What do you think about that?
2. What we are “fixing our eyes on” is usually the thing we spend the most time doing and what we are fixing our eyes on is the thing we end up becoming. Do you want to become the thing you are fixing your eyes on?
3. The best thing we can fix our eyes on is Jesus. How might you change the way you are spending your time to be more like Jesus?
4. Take some time and write a prayer to God.
Conversation Guide: Ask these questions to your siblings or your mom or your dad. We think around the dinner table or right afterwards is the best time.
1. Has anyone ever heard of slacklining before? Would you ever do it?
2. The devotional today talked about becoming what we fix our eyes on. Why do you think we become what we look towards?
3. How can I pray for you today?
Prayer: Read Hebrews 11:1-12:2 and pray this quietly to God
Dear God, I want to be exactly like your son Jesus, and I need your help to do it. Please give me the strength to fix my eyes on him and to trust that you are making me more like him. I love you so much. Amen.