Our attic is above the garage. To get there, you have to go up through an opening in the garage ceiling. To get there, you use a ladder, then climb onto the refrigerator (which we have strategically placed under the opening), then climb in.

It’s kind of a process, so I don’t go up in the attic very often, but I did a couple of years ago.  My trouble came on the way back down.

I was standing on top of the refrigerator, with my hands in the square attic opening for balance, but when I stepped onto the ladder, it wobbled and tipped over. My foot shot out with the ladder, and I lost my balance on top of the refrigerator. Thankfully, my hands caught a grip on the attic opening.

So there I was. Dangling.  The refrigerator was to my back, but I couldn’t quite swing myself back to sit on it. I was stuck.

I started calling to my kids inside the house. “Help!” I cried.

I called out each of their names. “HELP!” But nobody came.

I kept calling and calling. My fingers were starting to lose their grip, and I was afraid I might have to jump. With the ladder below my feet, the landing would be tricky. Plus, it’s been a while since I jumped that far. I didn’t know if my ankles were up to the task. I was pretty scared, so I started full out screaming, “HELP ME!! SOMEBODY!!!!”

Just then, Cole opened the door to the garage and said, “Yes, mom?” He was as calm as if I had asked him to come set the table. I said, “Cole! Can you pick up that ladder?”

“Oh, sure mom,” he said. And he quickly set the ladder upright under my feet.

My hero.

Now picture me back there, dangling. Fingers slipping. Panic rising. And picture Cole coming to the door, seeing me in my predicament, then turning to go back inside with no comment. That’s a good picture of ‘forsake’, don’t you think?

Thank goodness, Cole didn’t do that. And thank goodness, God never will either. He will never forsake us. The Bible tells us this over and over. (I Kings 6:13, Psalm 37:28, Psalm 94:14)

But I can relate to David, when he wrote Psalm 138. Verse 7 says, ‘

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life… your right hand delivers me.“

 But then, verse 8 says,

“Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

The word forsake means, “leave, let drop.” So David is saying, “I know you’ve got me…. but don’t let me drop!”

There are moments that it feels like God is forsaking me. I’m dangling. I don’t know if I can hold on. I’m crying for help, and I’m not sure He hears me.

Then minutes later, the door opens, and there is the solution to my problem. I step onto the firm foundation under my feet and wonder why I ever doubted. How could I have questioned whether he would let me drop?

This is the Christian life. We dangle dangerously, with no solution in sight, then he performs some dazzling rescue. And our faith is renewed.

And the more we grow, the more our faith sustains us in the dangling moments. We’ve been through the cycle before. We know what’s coming. We just have to wait on Him a little longer. And when we dangle without despair, oh what glory we bring to His great Name.

Are you dangling? Feet swinging? Fingers slipping? Call out to Him, and know that He hears you. He will not forsake you! He will not let you drop.