Retreat or Risk?

Church Family:
“The average man doesn’t want to be free. He wants to be safe” (H.L. Mencken, 1926). Is that true in your life? Does a desire for a perceived safety get in the way of you being free to obey God’s call upon you to obey Him even with risk? What is risk? Risk is defined as “an action that exposes you to the possibility of loss or injury.”

Nehemiah finds himself at the intersection of retreating back to safety and the status quo or risk towards danger and discomfort to be used by God for His purpose and plan. He is burdened with conviction for God’s purposes in response to the latest report from his brother concerning the poor condition of the walls of Jerusalem and the people of God (Neh. 1). Nehemiah’s grief leads him to fast and pray for four months. He has a great and growing burden and conviction to be used by God to fulfill God’s purpose for His people. He deeply desires God’s people to experience the blessings of God once again. Nehemiah is prepared, able and organized to act on behalf of God but there is tremendous risk. He will not only be risking all of his stability, security and comfort as the cupbearer to the king but he will also be risking his life by asking the king to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Retreat or risk? Should Nehemiah retreat to safety and status quo? Or should he push forward with great risk towards discomfort, danger and blessing?

What did Nehemiah choose? In his fear he shot an arrow of prayer to God and risked it all for the sake of being used in God’s perfect plan (Neh. 2:4). Once the prayer was shot, Nehemiah moved forward with faith-filled risk and then God showed Nehemiah that with Him there are no risks. As God's children we take risks because we do not know the outcome. However, since God knows everything, He takes no risks. He knows the outcome of every situation as He works out everything for our good and His glory.

There is no way that we can avoid risks in this life on earth. Our pursuit of safety and security can be an endless fear-based pursuit fueled by selfishness. God calls us as His children, whom He cares for and loves, to move forward in this life with faith-filled risk taking for Christ. But we should do so knowing that to God there is no risk at all. God calls us to trust in Him, the One who takes no risks because He upholds everything by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3) as He works out His plan of redemption. No matter what "risk" we take for the Lord, nothing will separate us from the love God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38-39). How has God prepared and burdened you for a specific opportunity that requires risk?

See you Sunday, risk-free: Steve