Here's one of my favorite phrases in Scripture. I Samuel 14:6 says, "Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf." I love that modus operandi. But I honestly think many if not most Christians take the opposite approach. Perhaps the Lord WON'T act in our behalf. We let fear dictate our decisions. We have a better-safe-than-sorry mentality. We live as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.
Maybe it's time for a paradigm shift. When did we start believing that God wants to take us to safe places to do easy things? Here's a thought: the will of God is not an insurance plan. It's a daring plan.
I think we've made a false assumption that the will of God gets easier as we grow spiritually. Some dimensions do get easier with the consistent practice of spiritual disciplines. But I also think God will give us more difficult, dangerous, and daring things to do!
I love this phrase. It's so hopeful. It's so optimistic. And it's the key to living with holy anticipation. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. May God give us the spirit of Jonathan!
Maybe it's time for a paradigm shift. When did we start believing that God wants to take us to safe places to do easy things? Here's a thought: the will of God is not an insurance plan. It's a daring plan.
I think we've made a false assumption that the will of God gets easier as we grow spiritually. Some dimensions do get easier with the consistent practice of spiritual disciplines. But I also think God will give us more difficult, dangerous, and daring things to do!
I love this phrase. It's so hopeful. It's so optimistic. And it's the key to living with holy anticipation. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. May God give us the spirit of Jonathan!
13 Comments:
Great blog, man. The link that sent me here said that you "basically put Christian blogging on the map." I definitely see some good stuff on here.
Check out my blog sometime, let me know what you think?
Brandon
www.modernmarch.com
Mark that is spot on.... I'm just preparing to speak to some of our Leaders and noticed this in my feeds. It's just the perfect thought I need for where we are at as a church as so much is happening and yet we still need God to do so much on our behalf. I love that concept of HOLY ANTICIPATION that arrests our faith and challenges it with the question: "So which way are you facing? - Facing towards a God of the impossible or just facing the obstacles that you think are too big for you to pass..."
Love your blog!
Chris
www.chrisdenham.co.uk
it is even an even more amazing statement when you realize where jonathan was when he said that! thanks for the message.
Got to love Jonathon...he is an example of what we are supposed to be.
Working for a psychiatrist, I cannot tell you how many times I hear people say "I am scared to start counseling - and working through my stuff! What if it's too hard?"
My response? "Working through your stuff is the hardest thing you will probably do in your entire life - it will also be one of the most rewarding things you have ever done in your life. Most of the time - getting past the fear is the hardest part." (That along with the advice to purchase "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day"!).
I've heard you say this before, but I can't tell you how much I needed to hear it again today...timely post Mark...thanks man.
Just preached this passage to our students. Awesome to see what God has done.
It is basically the premises of Erwin McManus' book Chasing Daylight. I think his best book in a long line of amazing books.
Great blog, great message.... Sadly fear dictates so many christians. It is no coinscidence the bible describes the church as the bride. Just as my bride sacrificed her name and took on my last name at marriage, the church needs to lay down OUR names and take on the name of Christ, and this gives us the courage to climb the cliff and engage the enemy, and not sit under a tree doing nothing.
Jared Mathis
www.jaredmathis.wordpress.com
Thank you Mark...I needed the reminder that God has not sent me into safe territory.
You're killing me! The truth is I just told a friend that some people see my patience/waiting as faith. As resolve. But in reality it's fear.
Reading God's Word, Wild Goose Chase, and spending time in prayer being honest (as if God doesn't know the truth) with myself has reignited a God-ordained passion in me.
Thanks Mark for clearing a path we can follow.
Pastor Mark,
I am looking at developing my own charter and purpose. What is my life going to be for and will God snicker at it or will God say well done?
On a diiferent note and you might know this already, is that elephants are one of the few species on the planet who recognize themsleves in the mirror whereas other animals see a rival or a threat. That might figure into the series you are developing
Thanks for posting this PM. I'm in the process of buying my first house, just a few more steps. But the final steps of the journey have been filled with doubt and fear. In anticipation of the deal possibly not going through I've told myself that if God wants to close this door then I will accept that, no matter how hard. Your post charged me up, starting today I'm going to pray Sam 14:6 and STOP focusing on the fact that this deal may fall through and START remembering that God blessed me with the courage to pursue the dream in the first place and that he is indeed on my side. It's so easy to let fear squeeze into God's desire for us to chase lions and well, it just plain ruins the fun.
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