Adventure

I've always loved stories that involve some great adventure. My favorite movies aren't romantic comedies, and most romance novels make me gag. But give me a story that follows the main character on some epic adventure, and I'm all in!

But did you know, that "adventure" is a pretty fitting description of the life God calls us to?

I've been reading biographies lately about people that abandoned everything to answer God's call. Unhindered by the unknown, and unintimidated by the pointing fingers of those who considered them nuts. They had a burning fire in their soul, and like Jeremiah - "...his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot" (Jer 20:9).

They laid down their lives for their King, and in doing so found every satisfaction and pleasure. They counted the cost, and they paid it. They considered the alternatives, and they chose death that they may have life. They knew that their King was worth everything, and they did not hesitate to say "yes" to whatever He asked of them.

When I read about these soldiers of the King, I get the impression that they would be pretty disappointed with Americans. At least those that claim to follow the same One they are dying for. Week to week, we mostly consider a vibrant relationship with King Jesus to be one that consists of a faithful church attendance, no parties attended, little cussing, and pretty good self-control with our boyfriend or girlfriend.

We certainly don't look at our relationship with God through lenses of sacrifice, staking everything on His love, not intimidated by the unknown, and unashamedly walking the narrow path. We have no gusto, and we have no fight. We are much more like sleepy kittens hiding under a car, than soldiers of the King drawing our swords, putting on our armor, and preparing to fight.

This should be an adventure. And if I'm honest, I've been very much asleep this month. It's been bad, which is why I haven't posted much. I've lost my own gusto, my own fight, tucked my tail and ran from the adventure God has beckoned me to join.
What an incredible God, that He did not strike me down when I hid.
Because He is gracious beyond my understanding, He calls me back. He beckons me.

And this time I'm saying yes.

Before the world, aye, before the sleepy, lukewarm, faithless, namby-pamby Christian world, we will dare to trust our God, we will venture our all for Him, we will live and we will die for Him, and we will do it with His joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts.

- C.T. Studd

Note: I'm hoping to add a tab above with little blurbs of such soldiers. My prayer is that their testimonies would stir in your heart a deeper passion for Jesus, as they have done in mine.