Trapeze

Ortberg in Faith and Doubt used the image of a trapeze artists to describe faith. Think about a person swinging on a trapeze. There comes a point when he has to let go. In order for the act to work, he has to let go. Once he does, he is in free fall, flying, but totally out of control. He can't control the catcher. He can't control his speed or his final destination if the catcher should fail. It all rests in the hands to the catcher, who is usually not in the spotlight -- not the "star."

The flyer has to rely on the catch to catch him. In the same way, we have to let go. We have to let go of all of those things to which we hang on and let go, trusting in God to catch us. We have to give up control and fly.

Ortberg says that the word for trapeze comes from the ancient Greek word trapeza, which means table. It is only used in the New Testament when Jesus gathers his disciples around what we will call the communion table. He tells them that they have to let go, and fly, in order to follow him.

Image: The picture above was taken this morning as I got in the van to go to work. I was thinking about yesterday's post, and how I need to take time for pictures, when that one jumped out of the tree and onto my camera.