The Other End of the Rope

Jeremiah 15:20 "...for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord."

Today, my time in the Word was spent in Acts 27.  Paul was travelling to Rome by sea when a storm hit.  When everyone else on the ship had completely given up hope, Paul shared a message that an angel had brought to him.  The message was this: "Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar.  And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you."  God wanted Paul to make it to Rome and He was going to make sure it happened.  Paul's hope was in God.  He was the one holding on to the other end of Paul's security rope.

Who have I placed my hope in?  Who is at the other end of my security rope?  Is it God or someone else who will not be able to deliver?  What a huge wakeup call!  While I like to think that I rely completely on the Lord, if I am totally honest with myself, I know that's not always true.  I have a tendency to rely on others when I am in tough situations.  It's okay to take encouragement from others, but when we are relying on others instead of God, that's when we run into problems.  What if God were to take everyone I loved?  Would that destroy my hope? 

Relying completely on others will only lead to disappointment.  God is the only one who can and will deliver us.  Psalm 18:2 "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer..."  I love and am very thankful for each and every person God has placed in my life, but at the end of the day, the only one I want holding on to the other end of my rope is God.