Is your God too safe?

Playing it safe is the mantra for many people.  Taking risks and placing themselves in situations that may be dangerous does not enter their mind.  I am not advocating taking unnecessary risks but in most advances in life one has to be willing to take on things that involve risk.  Often it is the fear of failure that stunts people in their growth.  In our life with Christ, he at times calls us to go places and attempt things that involve risk.

I am always inspired by stories of missionaries who have ventured into new areas to reach unreached people.  They may face diseases, incredible hardships and even death just as the first missionaries to Africa in the 1800.  Almost all died within the first 2 years and many within the first 2 months.  False teeth were the norm for most as well as dental care was nonexistent.  Back then they shipped their goods in coffins, knowing that they would not return, willing to spend their lives and if necessary lay down their lives for the sake of the gospel being proclaimed.  They did not die in vain but paved the way for other missionaries to follow and build upon the work.  The results were worth the risks and the costs.

The Moravians with Count Zinzendorf wanted to reach the workers in the sugar cane fields of St. Thomas Island and the only way they could get there was to sell themselves as slaves and board the boat with the other slaves to go to the island.  It was a risk they were willing to take because they saw the potential impact to be of greater importance than the risks they were taking. 

One of my heroes is a native Minnesotan named Bruce Olson.  His story is told in the book Bruchko that I first read over 30 years ago. He is still alive and continues to work among the indigenous of South America.  When he was 17 years old he felt called to travel to South America to reach the Motilone tribe.  This tribe was known to kill strangers and the oil companies who were trying to enter their land suffered many casualties.  The dangers were real but he was willing to take the risk.  He had no real support when he left and the missionary whom he had contacted did not show up at the airport to meet him.  Yet Bruce ventured into the Motilone tribe to live among them, learn their language just to have the opportunity to share the gospel.  After 4 years of living in harsh conditions and suffering many sicknesses he had a break through and many of the tribe became believers.  The potential results outweighed the risks he had to face.

When Jesus called his disciple to follow him, it was a full time call.  They left their businesses behind to follow a man that they may not have known all that well when they made the decision.  There was something about this Jesus that compelled them to abandon their known life to experience something that they did not even envision.  The three years they walked with him were unforgettable. They saw and experienced miracles, healings, opposition, threats, pressing crowds of people, demonized people being set free, dead being raised, multiplication of food and many more incredible events.  When they were called to follow him there was no looking back, family matters were important but not as important as following him, financial security was not to be considered, and a willingness to die with him was part of the call.  For many people this seems too extreme, too radical, they want a safe God who will keep them from harm and make sure they have what they need.

“In 1996 the staff at Bridger Wilderness Park in Wyoming in posted some of the suggestions that had been returned to them by park visitors.  Here are a few:

1.       Trails need to be reconstructed.  Please avoid building trails that go uphill.

2.      Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs.  Please spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests.

3.      Please pave the trails so that they can be plowed of snow during the winter.

4.      Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without have to hike to them.

5.      The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake.  Please eradicate these annoying animals.

6.      A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles.  Is there a way I can get reimbursed?

7.      Escalators would help on steep sections.

8.      A McDonald’s would be nice at the trailhead.

9.      Too many rocks in the mountains.”

Source: “Your God is too Safe”  by Mark Buchannan

Changing all these inconveniences takes away from the adventure and the enjoyment we have when we are able to overcome them or have to work harder to be able to enjoy things.

We tend to want things easy and can be demanding of our rights for certain things.

One of the teachings of YWAM is being willing to lay down your rights so that God can use you to fulfill the desire of his heart.  We have rights to family, education, clean water, food, health care, jobs, housing and many other things that are part of life.  But there comes a time in our lives when we are asked to lay down the rights to make ourselves available to be used of God in an area that perhaps involves a risk that others are not willing to take.  If we maintain our rights we often forfeit opportunities to see God use us in new adventures that could have an eternal impact on the people we encounter. 

The Apostle Paul was one who had a conversion experience that shook him to the core and launched him into a ministry that impacted thousands of people and continues to impact millions of people through his writings.  He gave up many rights to make himself available to God’s call on his life.  He faced incredible hardships that would cause most people to change their occupation.  When he was warned about going to Jerusalem where he would face opposition from the Jews, it did not faze him.  He had such a strong desire to reach his own people that he was willing to take whatever risks involved for the opportunity to share his testimony and preach the gospel. He even got upset with their protests.

Act 21:10-14  While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done.

Paul was determined, maybe some thought out of his mind, taking a risk that did not seem to make sense to them.  In spite of their protests, he went and the trouble predicted met him but it did not stop him and it did not thwart God’s purposes.  God was in control and in Paul’s darkest hours met him and confirmed to him that what was happening had a divine purpose.

Act 23:11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.

 Any doubts he may have entertained were set aside by the confirming words spoken to him.  Had Paul played it safe we can only speculate what the final results would have been for the church in that day and today.

When the Jewish leaders plotted to kill him as he left Jerusalem, God made sure that the plans were foiled so that Paul could fulfill his mission. 

Act 23:12-14  When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul.

When the ship he headed for Rome was in a horrible storm and all hope was gone among the sailors, Paul, gave words of encouragement because he knew his mission was not going to end in a shipwreck that would take his life.

Act 27:21-25  Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.' So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.

God was in control once again and when they were waiting on the island of Malta Paul was given an opportunity to share the gospel with the people.  All of this was orchestrated by God because Paul was willing to take the risk of going to Jerusalem. 

When we respond to God’s call we have to entrust our lives to his plans and purposes.  We do not know the details or the final results but we know that God will be at work to do great things through us as we follow his call.  Our lives are in his hands and he will never abandon us.  We will face hardships, tribulations, suffering, perhaps persecution.  Jesus said this was part of the benefit package of being his disciple.  

Joh 16:33  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

We do not have to go look for it, we have an enemy who will bring it to us.  The church is facing intense persecution in many countries such as Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Iran, and Afghanistan.  The believers’ homes and businesses are being destroyed and bombs set off in their churches.  There are more Christian martyrs today than at any time in history.  The risks of being a follower of Jesus are very real to these believers.  They are faced with the decision of fleeing for safety or staying and face the opposition in an opposite spirit.

Each of us make decisions on how we will live our lives.  Will we seek for safety or seek for opportunities that will require a risk that may seem uncomfortable and undesirable to many.  Jesus set the example for us in the way he reached out to people that were not wanted, rejected, hurting, poor, sick, demonized and marginalized by society.  He challenged people to live from their heart and not live to have an appearance of being righteous while the heart was unchanged. He calls to live with his compassion toward all people, not just the ones that are the easiest to live with or are less hassle.  He invites us to take steps of faith to pursue his desires of reaching all people, going to them, actively pursuing them to help them and demonstrate his love for them.  He challenges us to live sacrificially and give generously of the resources he has given to us.  He calls us to lay down our rights so we can take up his desires to share the gospel with those who have never heard or understood its transforming message. 

The opportunities are all around us if we are willing to see them as God sees them.  Once we see them then we have to make ourselves available and responsive to God’s instructions and guidance to move forward in faith, face the risks and trust God to bring about the results he desires.

God calls us to a life of adventure with him.  He is always on the move, his plans are being accomplished and he invites us to co-labor with him.  It does not mean you have to leave your present situation although for some it may be required to be obedient to his call.

I have shared this testimony with our staff and students but it bears repeating as it is an example to encourage all of us.

David Bowler shared this story that was passed on to me from a friend.

At one of his services he gave and Altar call and a young lady named Marcy, who graduated from Bible College came forward.  She was a very petite lady.  She surrendered her life to God to go to the foreign field. She had a desire to go to Malaysia, to a group of head hunters. No missionaries had gone there for 11 years.  These people were cannibals and had eaten people who tried to reach them.  The oil companies left the area because of their people being attacked and eaten. 

David Bowler, was a special forces Green Beret, highly decorated soldier who could lift 650 lbs.  All he could think of was the conditions were not right for this young girl to go to these people.  Her parents tried to talk her out of it.  David Bowler tried to talk her out of it but she replied to him, “You are the man of God who taught me of the God of the impossible”.  Marcy asked for prayer.  David felt he was putting a death sentence on her by allowing her to go.  He thought she would be eaten. He prayed for her, that God would let her die quickly.  No mission board would send her because it was a suicide mission.  Marcy spent 30 days in preparation hoping and praying that someone would go with her but, no one would go, and she would have to go alone.  The day arrived when Marcy would be taken to the cannibal people.  There were no roads to the people, she would have to enter by helicopter and even this was dangerous.  The cannibals knew how to bring down a helicopter with their spears, so Marcy had to repel 250 feet to get to the ground.

They dropped her down and told her they would come back 60 days later.  The pilot said he would be back but she would not.  He asked her if she understood the conditions were not right. Marcy replied that she had asked and she was going.   

When they dropped her down, the pilot began to cry. Their thoughts were to say goodbye because you will never see her again.  For the next 60 days everyone prayed for her protection and prayed God would just take her and not suffer if she was attacked.

60 days later the helicopter returned.  They found Marcy, with 70 people she led to Christ!  She found out that they only ate men!!!  The people had a 200 year Legend that a female god would come to them from the sky.  So when she was lowered by the helicopter they thought God had arrive so they worshiped her. She told them she was not God but would lead them to God.

An incredible story but we have an incredible God who call us to follow him, to take risks with him. Age, experience, conditions are not a problem for God so we can set them aside and believe that he will take us as we are to make us what he wants and needs us to be.  Nothing is too difficult for him.

Where will your journey of faith take you?  Are you willing to take risks with God directing your steps?  Are you holding back and giving more power to fears or the counsel of others?  Whatever hindrances we see are not always the same in God’s view and that gives us hope for an exciting future.  Is your God too safe?