Jump on that Swing!

“Higher, higher, higher… I want to go higher! Push me higher,” said the little girl on the swing to her daddy without fear or worry of the heights she would soar… 

My eyes caught this picture as I was driving by in my neighborhood this week as this little girl was on her swing being pushed by her father and with my windows down my ears caught her saying “higher dad, I want to go higher daddy!”  

This instantly brought a memory to my mind of when I was a little girl being pushed on the swing by my dad and remembering the excitement of wanting to reach the greatest possible height that my father would be able to push me to! There was nothing else I wanted to do then to be on that swing going higher and higher! Just to see up over the treetops was my ambition!

When we are children we don’t always know how to get our momentum on the swing yet or think it’s possible to grasp our highest point without an extra trusted hand pushing and helping elevate with each swing. As a little girl I didn’t know how to get myself to the height that I wanted but I knew if my dad pushed me, I would be able to reach that peak! I knew that with my father’s help I would be able to obtain it! I was not able to reach it on my own. The thrill of soaring through the air going higher and higher, just enjoying the ride brought so much joy and anticipation.

Isn’t that like what our relationship is with our heavenly father? He helps us along our journey with Him to move and grow higher and higher each day. Only he can elevate us to the places that He has purposed and planned for us. It’s unobtainable on our own. But as we surrender and trust His hand in and on our lives He launches us, prepares us, guides us, and elevates us in His perfect timing.

As His daughter’s growing and maturing in our faith the Lord helps us along the way teaching, pushing (stretching), and helping each of us reach the places destined for us to be. But also, as His daughters a part of growing and maturing we learn that by faith we can also draw ourselves closer to Him each day. Knowing that every moment spent with Jesus in His presence He longs to take us ‘higher and higher’ so that we can soar. 

Isaiah 40:31 says:

“But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; they will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired.”

WOW!

I don’t know about you, but I am thankful for a God who gives me NEW strength and RENEWS the power within me each day and RAISES me up to be closer to God Himself.

This verse is a promise, and this is a FACT! God will elevate His sons and daughters who SEEK, WAIT, HOPE and FIX their eyes on Him.

Aren’t you thankful for a father who guides His children and pushes them (like they are on a swing) to the places and spaces that only He can launch them to?

When we surrender it all and lay our own efforts at His feet there is no limit to what the Lord can do in and through our lives. We can soar effortlessly like the little girl on that swing declaring, ‘higher, higher!’ to her father because she knew her life was in good hands.

Faith like a child. That is what it is all about! Jumping on that swing and calling out to your heavenly Father who CARES for you more than you know and longs for you to SOAR!

When we keep our eyes on Jesus and completely place our trust in Him, we can confidently move in whatever the Lord is asking us to do because He is a GOOD GOOD Father who desires for His GOOD plans to flourish in the lives of His sons and daughters.

It’s then we can call out and say ‘Daddy, I want to go higher! Push me higher!’ Just like a child without fear and not a single worry about what’s happening below only simply awaiting to see what’s above. A child filled with faith knowing the one who is in control is trustworthy. 

This is what our walk with the Lord should look like, our eyes watching above and not focusing on what is below (refusing to allow distractions to captivate or allow the world access to pull our attention away) but keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and granting Him to show us and propel us to new levels each day. It’s daily tapping into faith (even if it’s the size of a mustard seed) trusting that we are in good hands. A knowing that the one who created us has only the best in mind for our lives. A life with Jesus is one without limits.

He’s a good father who works everything out for our good even when things happen that we didn’t expect or foresee but God foresaw and we can still stand knowing that He is always working on our behalf.

There is nothing that God is not aware of.

Because of His love:

He is always moving, always speaking, always interceding for His sons and daughters.

We are on a swing called life and behind us is a heavenly father who is covering us, before us is a God who is protecting us, beside us is a God who is watching out for us, and within us there is Holy Spirit who at times pushes us to higher heights as we grow to be more like Jesus every day.

So, what are you waiting for? Jump on that swing! You are in good hands!

Let’s go higher and higher!

Oh, that we may SOAR in Him today with childlike faith!

Bethany Marshall