Danger

Danger

For some reason, God keeps bring to mind the word, danger.  For months, the word has recurred in my thoughts, as though God were trying to get through to me.

I know that God had called me to more than a life of safety and comfort.  But, for the most part, that’s the life I live.  But he calls me into battle. 

Just this week I stumbled across this hard-hitting quote from missionary martyr Jim Elliot. 

“We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon with. But we are ‘harmless,’ and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places. Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass, outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship of the Cross. We are ‘sideliners’ -- coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!”  --Jim Elliot

And so we dive into Danger at Crossroads. 

There are different kinds of danger.  Some danger we can avoid.  Wisdom leads us to make good decisions and escape this danger.  In Proverbs we read, “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it” (27:12).  Sometimes God calls us to avoid danger.

Other danger we can’t avoid.  We have to face it.  It sneaks up on us and surprises us.  We deal with these kinds of dangers in daily life—from road rage to pink slips.  Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble; but take heart!  I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  Sometimes we must face danger.

Then there is the danger we need to pursue.  “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood,” Paul told the Ephesians, “but against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).  Danger is around the corner for any faithful follower of Jesus.  “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).  Jesus himself went directly into danger, following the Father step by step.  Sometimes God calls us to seek danger.

Here we go.

Avoiding Danger:  Wisdom for Avoiding Trouble

January 10  Trouble with the Government  (Exodus 2)

January 17  Trouble with Sin  (Genesis 19)

January 24  Trouble with Deception  (Colossians 2)

January 31  Trouble with Traps  (Acts 23)

In February, Facing Danger:  Wisdom for Handling Trouble

In March, Seeking Danger:  Wisdom for Making Trouble