I am a safety-holic. I’m overcautious and don’t take enough risks. For instance, on Sunday I asked the other men in church if they wear safety glasses for yard chores like I do. They kinda looked at me funny.
Spiritually speaking, that simply means—I need to trust Jesus more and my own control and comfort less. I need to skip my nap once in a while and live life, maybe with a jolt of caffeine and a lot of and prayer. I need to ride my motorcycle more and I need to talk to more people about Jesus with more passion.
You need to trust Jesus more, too, instead of your controlled safety zone. Or, if you’re exploring Jesus, you need to believe in him, starting today, and get ready for an adventure!
When Jesus called his disciples to build his kingdom here, he didn’t call them to a sterilized, sanitized bubble but a strong, stormy life-changing purpose. He called them out of their safety zone to take God-honoring risks of faith and courage.
Jesus promises this to his disciples thinking they were safe in the locked room after he had died, and then he appeared to them. “‘As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven’” (John 20:21-23).
Will Jesus’ mission for you be safe? It’ll be a whole lot safer than locking down the status quo, staying tied down to what you know and can control, sheltering in what makes you comfortable so that you don’t need God.
Look at these three reasons for you to take on the risk, discomfort and possibly death it takes to follow Jesus.
Jesus looks you in the eye and points to you and says, “I am sending you.” When Jesus sends you, it’s good, it’s holy, it’s a mission trip that will change your life and the lives of others, and it’ll hurt sometimes just like the Father’s mission for him.
Jesus gives you “the Holy Spirit.” Jesus is not a taker, he’s a giver. He breathes on you, filling your soul with heaven’s air so pure and full of life and power. God himself is in you when you are on God’s mission.
“Sins are forgiven.” Now that’s authority! What some claim only Jesus can do, or only priests can do, Jesus says you can do, and he wants you to do. Forgive people. It’s not easy. It takes work. Forgive those who hurt you. Forgive those in our church community who think they can’t be right with God.
Stop playing it safe! Jesus is sending you. God the Holy Spirit fills you. Sins are forgiven and for everyone. Step out into some God-honoring risks this week, and see what he can do!
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, as you rose from the dead, you raise believers to a new life of peace and purpose. Forgive us. Send us to those who need our forgiveness. Send us to those who need new peace and purpose. Inspire us to take God-honoring risks and stop playing it safe. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Which of the three reasons to stop playing it safe will prompt you to new, living faith this week? 1) Jesus is sending you. 2) God the Holy Spirit fills you. 3) Sins are forgiven and for everyone.
