A Dangerous Adventure

You may think I’m crazy, but here’s why I don’t mind that our son broke his back. First a little update. Our son, Jeff, was in a mountain biking accident on Sunday (August 17th). He went off a jump really well, but was unable to land like he’d hoped. Among other injuries he fractured his 2-4 vertebrae and was fortunate to be walking (although with significant pain) two days after the accident. He’s home from the hospital now and on the road to a full recovery. Praise the Lord! I admire Jeff’s sense of adventure and desire to live a little bit on the dangerous side of life. If you’re a parent you may again be thinking—“Bruce, are you crazy?” Don’t get me wrong, I don’t desire accidents, injury or something worse for anyone I care about. There’s an emotional toll during incidents like this that isn’t enjoyable at all! But somehow I’m realizing that living in the proverbial “bubble” of stifled caution and manufactured safety isn’t really living.

I’m not talking about suicidal thrill seeking either. I just believe that many of us have become people whose greatest goal in life is to keep everyone we love safe and happy by building protocols that often restrict and guard against taking an adventurous risk. For me it sounds more like handcuffs and a jail cell than the freedom to live the way God intended us to live. Do we really believe that God wishes to keep us from all danger? That belief is dangerous because it exposes our belief in a God who is quite different from the One revealed in _script_ure. The God I know from _script_ure invites everyone into a dangerous adventure of faithful following. The examples of the OT are numerous. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Job, Daniel come to mind as people of faith who risked everything in their relationship with God. In the NT we see the disciples and the people of the early church as those who rarely experienced peace and safety as they chose to follow Jesus. History seems to reveal that it is only in recent times, and only in certain parts of the world that being a Christ follower is a relatively safe adventure. Many would like to keep it this way.

I believe that God is calling us to join His dangerous adventure. He’s asking us to take some risks in our lives and I believe that most of these risks have to do with how we reveal Him to those around us. Are we subdued or open to God’s call in all parts of life? Have you ever stopped to consider what kinds of risks God might be asking you to take? It might involve moving. It might involve giving from the assets he’s given to you. It might involve sharing from your brokenness—which is a huge risk for many of us. It might involve giving your time (a precious commodity) to another who is in need.

Are you willing to risk a “jump” in your pursuit of what God desires and allow Him to take care of the landing? Does this sound crazy to you? Is your hope fixed on peace and safety? Maybe it’s time to take some bigger risks. Maybe it’s time to let the adrenaline rush a little more and accept God’s call to a Dangerous Adventure with Him.


Bruce