Sin and Niagara Falls
My brother-in-law was home for a visit recently and brought along his lovely girlfriend. His girlfriend is from Germany and has never been to Canada before so we went to the Falls. I was again reminded why I don't enjoy Niagara Falls.
My lack of enjoyment has a little bit to do with the monstrosity that is Clifton Hill and everything to do with my urge to hurl myself over the railing and be swept over to my death.
Okay, so don't misread the above - although I'm sure you are thinking, "What's there to misread? You are crazy!" and while I get why you would think that (another reason I'm probably in a Twelve Step group) what I don't want you to think is that I am suicidal in any way and that you need to plan an intervention on my behalf. I'm not suicidal. Far opposite of it. Too many reasons to live - my kids topping that long and glorious list.
Okay, back to why I want to hurl myself over the rail.
Niagara Falls is AWEsome. The Falls have so much power that you can feel it deep in your bones. The speed of the water as it rushes to the edge and the force that is generated as gravity drags the water to the rocks below is amazing. It's HUGE and thrilling and scary and I'm drawn to it. Some people would look at the wonder of Niagara Falls and see the Glory of God and me...well, I'm reminded of sin.
Ya, let's get all deep and thoughtful and stuff.
Niagara Falls reminds me of my desire for sin. How there are times when I can be so drawn to it. It can be a siren's call that part of me wants to just answer and fling myself in its path and be swept away in the rush of it all. But then the Falls remind me that if I do that then my death is inevitable.
Did you know that on a sunny day you can look over at the American side of the Falls and see the fish jumping right at the top, right where the water falls over the edge? You just know that they were swimming along, enjoying the ride, thinking life was grand then all of a sudden they realized they were falling to their impending doom and they made that last ditch effort to somehow jump back up into the river...a futile attempt if there ever was one.
Poor fish.
Glad I'm not a fish.
Glad I've got a God that reached down and pulled me out of the river when I asked him to. Glad he's a God that will snatch anyone up, even if they rode the river right to the edge and were tumbling over it. When we call out to him He doesn't stick us into a barrel and say: "Good luck, maybe you'll make it", He comes down and rescues us!
Psalm 40:2 "He lifted me out of the slimy pit [raging Niagara River], out of the mud and mire [as I went hurdling over the edge of the Falls]; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."
Now that is AWEsome. Okay, maybe I sort of like Niagara Falls after all.
