Take the Risk.
"Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell." -- C.T. Studd
When I saw this quote... I couldn't help but think of how so many Christians choose to live their everyday lives. Too often many Christians are just content with going to church and playing it "safe". They don't take risks... they don't step out. Some, are even too afraid of what fellow believers will think about them if they do or don't raise their hands during worship.
And then I thought to myself - "How can anyone even be a true christian without taking risks for what they believe... For WHO they believe in?"
Come on, think about this for a second... Every great man or women of God we hear about in the Bible or other books or hear stories about... Took a risk! Jesus himself gave up everything, an entire kingdom, just so he could do his father's will! He knowingly risked being criticized and looked down upon to teach people about the love of God and to carry out his will... He gave his life. He didn't hesitate... It was so difficult for him but he willingly gave everything up just so we could share not only his kingdom with him... but eternity. He saw the bigger picture. He could have just as easily chose to stay with his father in heaven and be comfortable and be content with where he was....
But he didn't. He saw the bigger picture. He saw past the fact that he would have to become human, to live a hard life and to die the most horrible and painful death imaginable... He saw the bigger picture. He knew that it wasn't about the loss that he would have to face... But about what there was to gain - Our salvation.
I know you're probably thinking - "Oh come on Olivia, this is Jesus we are talking about! I mean, of course Jesus can do it! He was the son of God!"
OK, I get it. Its hard to think that we could even accomplish or give up a fraction of what Jesus did... But that's no excuse for being mediocre.
What about those five missionaries that were killed in Ecuador trying to reach the Waodani people to tell them about the Gospel? They were just 5 ordinary everyday people... but that wasn't any excuse to not go out and accomplish God's will. Think about what they had to risk.... what they had to face. Not only did they take their families to live in a third world country, but they were looking for the most savage and hostile tribe of people in the rain forests of Ecuador who had NEVER been reached before. This tribe was known for spearing other tribes, people who crossed their path, and even each other. Those missionaries knew that reaching these people meant they could lose their lives... But, they took a risk. And they found the Waodani tribe. And they made contact.
When Jim Elliot, Peter Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian tried to witness to the Waodoni, they were speared to death. They left behind their wives and their children. They could have chose to stay home and could have been content with comfortable lives. But they took a risk because.... They too saw the bigger picture. They saw beyond any fears or losses they had and they saw what there was to gain. They knew that these tribe people were living a life full of sin and a life without Christ and they saw that unless they did what they could to reach these people they would never get to live eternity in heaven.
But these men were not the only ones who had to give up something and take a risk. Think about their wives.... They had just lost their husbands. They were grieving. But these extraordinary women saw past their own pain and their loss and they not only found the strength within themselves to forgive the people who speared their husbands and to love them.... but they went to live with them in the amazon jungle to share the gospel with them.
Did you get that? They not only shared the Gospel with the people who killed their husbands but they risked their lives too and went to live with them!
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." -Jim Elliot
So what's our excuse. Why can't God use us everyday ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Well, the truth is HE CAN. But He can't use you unless you are willing to trust Him and take a risk no matter what the cost because... There is so much more to be gained.
"God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him" -- Hudson Taylor
Now, I'm not saying we should all be martyrs and move to third world countries! That is definitely NOT for everybody. What are you willing to risk for there to be a gain in the Kingdom? God isn't asking us to give up our lives... just ourselves. Everything we are. ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK?
Ready to Take the Risk,
Olivia (Thabisa) Cartwright
When I saw this quote... I couldn't help but think of how so many Christians choose to live their everyday lives. Too often many Christians are just content with going to church and playing it "safe". They don't take risks... they don't step out. Some, are even too afraid of what fellow believers will think about them if they do or don't raise their hands during worship.
And then I thought to myself - "How can anyone even be a true christian without taking risks for what they believe... For WHO they believe in?"
Come on, think about this for a second... Every great man or women of God we hear about in the Bible or other books or hear stories about... Took a risk! Jesus himself gave up everything, an entire kingdom, just so he could do his father's will! He knowingly risked being criticized and looked down upon to teach people about the love of God and to carry out his will... He gave his life. He didn't hesitate... It was so difficult for him but he willingly gave everything up just so we could share not only his kingdom with him... but eternity. He saw the bigger picture. He could have just as easily chose to stay with his father in heaven and be comfortable and be content with where he was....
But he didn't. He saw the bigger picture. He saw past the fact that he would have to become human, to live a hard life and to die the most horrible and painful death imaginable... He saw the bigger picture. He knew that it wasn't about the loss that he would have to face... But about what there was to gain - Our salvation.
I know you're probably thinking - "Oh come on Olivia, this is Jesus we are talking about! I mean, of course Jesus can do it! He was the son of God!"
OK, I get it. Its hard to think that we could even accomplish or give up a fraction of what Jesus did... But that's no excuse for being mediocre.
What about those five missionaries that were killed in Ecuador trying to reach the Waodani people to tell them about the Gospel? They were just 5 ordinary everyday people... but that wasn't any excuse to not go out and accomplish God's will. Think about what they had to risk.... what they had to face. Not only did they take their families to live in a third world country, but they were looking for the most savage and hostile tribe of people in the rain forests of Ecuador who had NEVER been reached before. This tribe was known for spearing other tribes, people who crossed their path, and even each other. Those missionaries knew that reaching these people meant they could lose their lives... But, they took a risk. And they found the Waodani tribe. And they made contact.
When Jim Elliot, Peter Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian tried to witness to the Waodoni, they were speared to death. They left behind their wives and their children. They could have chose to stay home and could have been content with comfortable lives. But they took a risk because.... They too saw the bigger picture. They saw beyond any fears or losses they had and they saw what there was to gain. They knew that these tribe people were living a life full of sin and a life without Christ and they saw that unless they did what they could to reach these people they would never get to live eternity in heaven.
But these men were not the only ones who had to give up something and take a risk. Think about their wives.... They had just lost their husbands. They were grieving. But these extraordinary women saw past their own pain and their loss and they not only found the strength within themselves to forgive the people who speared their husbands and to love them.... but they went to live with them in the amazon jungle to share the gospel with them.
Did you get that? They not only shared the Gospel with the people who killed their husbands but they risked their lives too and went to live with them!
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." -Jim Elliot
So what's our excuse. Why can't God use us everyday ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Well, the truth is HE CAN. But He can't use you unless you are willing to trust Him and take a risk no matter what the cost because... There is so much more to be gained.
"God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him" -- Hudson Taylor
Now, I'm not saying we should all be martyrs and move to third world countries! That is definitely NOT for everybody. What are you willing to risk for there to be a gain in the Kingdom? God isn't asking us to give up our lives... just ourselves. Everything we are. ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK?
Ready to Take the Risk,
Olivia (Thabisa) Cartwright
Comments
Post a Comment