Is God's Will Safe?
You've heard it said before that "the safest place to be is in the will of God", right? Well, kinda...it depends upon our definition of "safest". We live in a culture that has made an idol out of safety and comfort. In our great wealth, we have the power to create very comfortable lives for ourselves that are free from many forms of danger. We protect our homes with security systems, choose to live in "safe neighborhoods", drive cars with dual airbags (or more)...and, all of this is good. It's a benefit of our blessings. We have been so blessed materially, that we have the means by which to "pad" our lives with safety and security.
But, as i said earlier...many of us have made an idol out of living a safe/secure life. For many, that has become the goal more than following Jesus. We spend more money, time and energy making our lives "danger free zones" than we do following Jesus wherever He may lead. This view of "safest" in my opening quote is a wrong/unbiblical view of God's will. God's main objective is not to keep us "safe and secure from all forms of danger". His goal is to make us more like Christ through obedience to Him! And often, it is impossible for us to fully follow and obey Jesus when comfort and safety are our priority! And often, He will lead us into very risky, unsafe, uncomfortable environments in order to test our faith, and to accomplish His will! This week i leave for a mission trip to the Middle East...this trip is anything but safe! And honestly, there is a part of me that would rather stay here with my family, in my safe house, in my safe neighborhood and worship in the freedom of my safe church. But, in order to follow Jesus i must go! And, you must be willing to go, too! Because, as we see in Acts 27, it's often in the midst of OUR STORMS that HE SHINES BRIGHTEST!
The apostle Paul was on his way to Rome to stand before Ceasar. Paul had appealed to Rome knowing that he would get audience with the Emporer himself and, no doubt, Paul wanted an opportunity to share Christ with the guy in charge of the kingdom. So, off to Rome Paul sails.
Now, our definition of "safe" gets tested here. For those of us who think that those who walk in close fellowship with God are always, only, ever physically, materially blessed...winds of change are coming...literally! No sunny cruise ship awaits the apostle Paul! Rather, Paul finds himself and 275 other men on a ship in the midst of a storm! Not just any storm...this thing called a "Northeaster" whipped up gale force winds that lasted 14 days! Imagine that! 14 days of a ship being battered, tossed, driven back and forth...riding monstrous waves up and down...little if any sleep...too scared to eat for 14 days straight...men who the chapter records, "had lost all hope!"
Now, Paul was in center of God's will, wasn't he? We are given no indication otherwise. But, although this scene looks anything but "safe", God did show up and bring word to Paul that would bring comfort, hope and encouragement to all of the men on board (even unbelievers, which may be part of the point). In v.22-25 Paul calls the whole crew together and reveals to them that God had spoken to him through an angel who promised that Paul would indeed stand trial before Ceasar. Not only that, but God would grant safety to everyone on board. So, although the gales were raging, there was no need to fear...God would protect them and bring them to safety. And, that's exactly what happened, and God was glorified through one man's faith in the midst of a storm!
So, is God's will the "safest" place to be? I guess it depends upon how we define it. I wonder how Paul would answer that question for us? I think he would encourage us to fully live for Jesus and be willing to follow Him wherever He leads. Will that always be "safe"? No way! Will we always be "safe"? Absolutely! Jesus will always be with us and nothing can separate us from His love. If we follow Him, He will deliver us safely to the Father's Kingdom! Oh, that's not what you meant? Maybe that's where we need to do some examining...
So, here are some thoughts out of this account:
1) God's will includes some horrible storms...but, God is with us in the midst of them! (in even more real ways than when everything is "all good")
2) If safety our main goal, it will keep us from following Jesus! (Paul had died long before to all forms of "self" that would have kept him from following Jesus - "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.") We must repent of the idols of "safety and comfort" or we will spiritually die!
3) Often God does physically protect His saints in the midst of storms...but, we aren't given that promise, and that ought not be the main point. Following Jesus is the point, physical protection is a bonus! We ought be most concerned with whether or not we are spiritually alive, rather than physically...although that would help too :)
4) God's faith-filled servants shine in the midst of storms...and, others around recognize! (Paul's faith in God brought him comfort, hope and encouragement that gave him a platform, influence and leadership with all 275 men)
5) God uses storms in our lives that others might see His mighty power! (who knows how many of these men became followers of God when they saw that His testimony was true?) If our lives truly are fully about Christ, then our main goal will not be our own welfare, but whether or not Christ is glorified!
6) This is nothing that Jesus Himself didn't experience first! If we are His disciples then we must be willing to follow Him in ALL WAYS...even storms.
Created over 1 year ago
