Taking a risk or taking a faith?
Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The bible is full of people that took a risk. Noah took a risk to build something that was never build. Moses took a risk to take an assignment that was never done before. Joseph took a risk by sharing his dreams. David took a risk by facing a giant. Joshua took a risk by believing they can conquer the promise land. Elijah took a risk by proclaiming that it would not rain for three years. Daniel took a risk by refusing to stop praying. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego took a risk by refusing to bow before the idol of king Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah took a risk by prophesying against Israel. Ezekiel took a risk by prophesying destruction when all the other prophets declared prosperity. The disciples took a risk by following Jesus. Peter took a risk by walking on the water.
Life is full of risks. Every morning when you get up you will be faced by what life throws at you. Can you imagine how Noah must have felt? It is said that it took one hundred and twenty years to build the Ark. He was building something that nobody has ever seen waiting for a flood that has never happened. That is taking a risk. Can you imagine what Moses must have felt like? He was taking a nation out from a country that had a people that did not want them to go, taking a people or a nation that did not want to go, to a nation or country that did not want them to come. That is taking a risk. I am not even talking about getting water to run from a rock when three million people are watching you. That is taking a risk.
Imagine what David must have felt like when he faced Goliath. All of Israel was gathered and every time Goliath came out to curse God, they were scared. Here comes David and he faces someone that had experience fighting. Goliath was trained in warfare and had a record of winning. No one has ever beaten him in a fight. David you are taking a risk! Imagine Elijah facing the Baal priest to call down fire from Heaven. No one has done it before. All of Israel has turned away from God and killed His prophets. There is four hundred and fifty Baal priest worshipping their god. Remember when Moses faced Pharaoh and his priests, how they made their staffs turn into snakes and made water turn into blood. There was a chance that they could call fire from heaven. Yet Elijah challenges them. You know the story. No fire and now it is Elijah turn. Pour water on the wood and the sacrifice. Make it more difficult. That is taking a risk.
Every one of these heroes stepped out of their comfort zones and did something. What we look at as risk was faith. I could not find the word “risk” in the bible. The closest translation we have was the word “jeopardy.” The truth is that when you take a “risk” you actually don’t take a risk. God always shows up like He did with every one that took a risk, because they actually took a faith.
Anytime you step away from the norm and trust God and act in simple faith He will honor your faith and show up. That is why we read in Hebrews eleven it says: “By faith Noah build an Ark. By faith Moses went when he was send. By faith , by faith, by faith. It doesn’t read: “By risk Noah build the Ark. By risk Abraham, by risk David.” NO. BY FAITH.
The bottom line is simply this. When you got up this morning you were not faced by risk, but you were faced by faith. God is challenging us today to live by faith. What some might see as risk, we choose to see by faith. Our faith pleases Him. Will you change the way you see today?
