An Illustration of Faith

Back on June 30, 1859, a man by the name of Charles Blondin (1824-1897), really Jean Francois Gravelet, accomplished an amazing feat. He crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope. He crossed on a 3 inch manila rope stretched 1,100 feet across the falls at a height of 160 feet. Not only that but in the ensuing days he also accomplished these amazing feats while crossing the falls: he executed a backwards somersault, crossed while blindfolded, while pushing a wheelbarrow, on stilts, in the dark with Roman candles flaring from the ends of his balancing pole, and one time even stopped half way across and cooked an omelet on a portable stove and lowered it to a boat below him.

Then on September 15, 1860, he accomplished his most amazing feat of all and it went something like this:

Before crossing the rope on that particular day Charles Blondin turned to the crowd and said, "Do you believe I can carry someone across the rope on my back?" The crowd roared its approval, "Yes, we believe you can!"

Then Charles asked for a volunteer, "Who will volunteer?" The crowd was silent. He then pointed out one man standing nearby, "How about you?" The man said, "Hardly, you don't think I am going to risk my life like that, do you?" and he turned away.

Next Charles pointed out another man, "And what about you?" The man replied, "I believe. In fact, I have no doubt at all." Charles said, "Will you trust me?" The man replied, "I will!"

The man then proceeded to climb on the back of Charles Blondin and they headed across the falls. The crowd waited breathlessly while they crossed and roared their approval once they completed the crossing. What they didn't know was that the man who crossed on Blondin's back was Harry Colcord, his manager. You see Harry Colcord knew how good Charles Blondin was and fully trusted him. His faith was secure, as the object of his faith, Charles Blondin, was trustworthy and had proven himself so over the years.¹

Jesus Christ is the object of our faith. He has proven Himself trustworthy. He created the world we live in. He came and lived a blameless life without sin. He served and sacrificed, even to the point of dying on the cross for our sin. Then He overcame death and arose from the dead because He was God who came in the flesh. He has power over death and power over life. He is worthy of our trust.

Have you trusted Jesus? Have you placed your faith in Him, said, "Jesus is Lord," and believed all this with your heart?

Romans 10:9-10⁹That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.¹⁰For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.²

¹ Middletown Bible Church, "What Is Faith?," http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/salva/salva3.htm (accessed August 20, 2008).
² Romans 10:9-10, NIV.