We live in a culture that values comfort and security and playing it safe, but such values are antithical to pages of Scripture where we see men and women of courage and strength and wisdom living out a divine adventure; an adventure where fear and faith often collide.
Follow the stories of the great men and women in the Bible and almost always, they experience a sense of inadequacy, fear of failure, fear of stepping out into the unknown. Moses said, Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh? Jeremiah said, I don’t know how to speak, I’m just a boy. The angel comes to Joseph with an assignment to take Mary as his wife and Joseph’s response is one of faith mixed with fear. God has to continually say to Joshua and Gideon, to David and Daniel, to Peter and Paul, “Do not be afraid”. It is the single most common command in all of Scripture.
God calls, almost always, people respond in fear, but then God gives a promise; He gives assurance. He says to Joshua…Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9) Jesus said…I am with you always; I will never leave you, nor forsake you. (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5)
The history of those who have journeyed with God is full of stories of men and women who have given their lives to pursue this divine adventure because they held to the sure promise that nothing would ever separate them from the love of God. The Apostle Paul reminds us: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
My friends at Valley, we are the beloved of the Father, we are secure in Christ! And because we are eternally safe and secure, what matters most is that we have a heart that is fully responsive to God; to be able say, ‘Here I am’ all the days of our lives! Today, the great adventure awaits, will you say ‘yes’ to God?