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The Daily Devotional
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Untethered: The Courage to Step Into the Open
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.” — Hebrews 11:8
Introduction
Today’s date carries the weight of two massive "first steps." In 1964, four young men from Liverpool landed at JFK, stepping into a cultural unknown that would change the world. Exactly twenty years later, astronaut Bruce McCandless II became the first human to float in the vacuum of space without a literal safety line, relying entirely on his Manned Maneuvering Unit. Both moments required a radical kind of untethered trust—the willingness to leave the "known" behind to embrace a new frontier. Faith, at its core, often asks us to do the same.
Reflection
To look at the photo of McCandless—a lone white suit against the infinite black of the cosmos—is to feel a sense of vertigo. He was 320 feet away from the Challenger, held by no rope, only by his trust in the machinery he wore and the physics he understood.
Think about the first time you learned to ride a bike without training wheels. There is a specific, heart-piercing moment when the hand of the person holding the seat lets go. For a second, you are untethered. You feel the wobble, the sudden lack of a physical anchor, and the immediate urge to look back. But the moment you look back, you usually fall. Success requires looking forward into the open space, trusting that the momentum you’ve been given is enough to keep you upright.
God’s call to "untether" isn't about recklessness; it’s about shifting our dependency. Like Abraham, we are often asked to leave our "harbors"—the habits, jobs, or mindsets that feel safe but keep us stationary—to follow a God who resides in the "Great Unknown." We aren't floating aimlessly; we are moving toward an inheritance that can only be reached if we are willing to let go of the dock.
Application
Identify one area where you are staying "tethered" out of fear rather than necessity. Is it a conversation you’ve avoided? A creative project you’re scared to start? A change in your routine that feels "too big"?
Today’s Challenge: Take one "small, brave step" that moves you beyond your comfort zone. Send that email, speak that truth, or say "yes" to an invitation that intimidates you. Trust that the same God who guides the stars is steadying your pulse.
Conclusion
Growth never happens in the center of the safety zone; it happens at the edges where we finally decide to trust God more than we trust our own security measures. Whether you are landing in a new "culture" or floating in a new "vocation," remember that being untethered from the world allows you to be more fully attached to the Spirit.
Prayer
Divine Guide, thank You for the pioneers who show us what is possible when we move beyond our boundaries. Give us the courage to let go of the lifelines we’ve outgrown. When we feel the vertigo of the unknown, steady our hearts with the reminder that we can never wander beyond Your reach. Help us to see the "open space" in our lives not as a void to be feared, but as a canvas for Your grace. Amen.
Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA
The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993, the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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