Risk Is Right – Day 15

“It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:20-21

Matt and I recently did a devotional together called “Risk is Right” by John Piper.   The book ends with these words:

“This is the promise that empowers us to take risks for the sake of Christ. It is not the impulse of heroism, or the lust for adventure, or the courage of self-reliance, or the need to earn God’s favor. It is the simple trust in Christ – that in him God will do everything necessary so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. Every good poised to bless us, and every evil arrayed against us, will in the end help us boast only in the cross, magnify Christ, and glorify our Creator. Faith in these promises frees us to risk and to find in our own experience that it is better to lose our life than to waste it.  

“Therefore, it is right to risk for the cause of Christ. It is right to engage the enemy and say, “May the Lord do what seems good to him.” It is right to serve the people of God, and say, “If I perish, I perish!” It is right to stand before the fiery furnace of affliction and refuse to bow down to the gods of this world. At the end of every other road – secure and risk free- we will put or face in our hands and say, “I’ve wasted it!” But at the end of the road of risk, taken in reliance on the blood-bought promises of God, there will be fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore.”

We felt led to share the things we learned with the A2J class so we asked God to show us how to bring this to life for the A2J’ers. The same Sunday we were going to teach the A2J’ers, Jeannette Kessler shared about how God had laid on her heart for her to spend one full day in the home of a family living in a batey in the Dominican Republic. One of the many things I gleamed from her sharing, was that she couldn’t imagine why God had called her to be the first person to do that and how the man of the family she with could not imagine why God had picked his family. It was a perfect example to share with the kids in A2J how God asked both of them to take a risk, and to step out of their comfort zone for His name’s sake.

So in the second service with the A2J’ers, I shared the story of Queen Esther and then Jeanette’s story.   As I was explaining all of this, God showed me why God chose Esther, and why God chose Jeannette and why He chose that particular DR family. It was because they would say, “YES!”.   They were willing to take a risk and not stay in the comforts of their own lives, but step out because God asked them to.

As we reflect during this Season of Lent on all Jesus did for us and continues to do for us, it doesn’t seem right that He would give us a choice, but He does. He does give us a choice on how we respond to His calling. What will you say the next time Jesus asks you to take a risk for His Kingdom?

Prayer: Precious Heavenly Father, Thank you for this day. Please show me what you have for me this day and every day. Help me to say, “Yes” to you, when you call on me. Help me to respond to your perfect love for me with a resounding “Yes!” Help me to hear your voice as you call me to risk something for your Kingdom. I love that you call me and equip me all at the same time.   I love that I don’t have to be afraid to step out in trust and belief in You, because even if I fail You will use it for Your glory and my good. You are so awesome Lord! In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
 
– Aimee Moul