Holding The Ropes

“His followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the city wall.” Acts 9:25

With a gentle bump the basket landed on solid ground, and its cargo climbed out. Furious because their best persecutor of Christians had turned into a bold proponent of Christ, the Jews in Damascus wanted Saul dead and “kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him”(Acts 9:24). But friends who loved Jesus and loved Saul “took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the city wall”(Acts 9:25).

The men who secured Saul’s escape didn’t know they were letting down the greatest missionary the world would ever know. They didn’t know that God would use this man to help spread the good news to Europe and beyond (i.e., across the Atlantic to you and me.) They didn’t know that Saul would stand before kings and queens testifying about the King of Kings. All they knew was that they loved their friend, that Jesus had changed him, and that he needed them to hold the ropes for him—all the way to the ground.

The ones we love need us to do the same. We don’t know the plans God has for them. We don’t often understand His purposes or His ways. But what we’re sure of is that when they need our help, we’ll be there to hold the ropes—in prayer, encouragement, and support. They need to know that when others are against them, we are there for them. They need to know that like Saul’s friends, we are willing to risk our own security for their safety. (A little rope burn is a small price to pay for being part of God’s great plan.) And those we love need for us to keep holding the ropes until we feel God’s gentle bump letting us know that all is well and we can let go.

When life leaves your friends a basket case, don’t drop them or leave them dangling. Hold the ropes and help them down. You never know what God will do when they reach solid ground.