Life with the Bible: “Risk Worth Taking”
Note: this is an article in a continuing series in which I share my own stories inspired by The Upper Room’s daily suggested Bible verse and devotional story. I present this series in the tradition of United Methodist Church Founder John Wesley’s “methodical” study of The Bible, and I encourage other St. Luke’s members to become a formal contributor to this site in order to share their own testimony similarly.
Risk Worth Taking
Inspired by The Upper Room’s suggested reading for January 25, 2012
Jeremiah 29:10-14
I’ve been thinking a lot about this Corpus Christi family featured in the latest issue of Texas Monthly. If all is as the article says, The Overton’s are suffering a disturbing injustice, and all who live under the jurisdiction of the government officials responsible should be alarmed. For all Christians with a compassionate heart, this appears to be, truly, a case of “there, but for the Grace of God, go I.”
In some of my own recent work to ease the pain of troubled souls, I’ve inadvertently stumbled into potential run-ins with law enforcement myself. Considering those cases along side that of the Overton’s (though my cases are not remotely as serious as theirs) it would be easy to drop a lot of the Christian work I’ve started.
Stop doing it, I could tell myself. “It’s not worth the risk.” And not a soul — even those I’ve been helping — would find fault with me. In fact, some well-intentioned friends and family might even feel a bit relieved.
But doing that would be missing the point of today’s reading.
Jeremiah’s people suffered 70 years of exile before God fulfilled his promise to them. So I’m confident I can endure whatever injustices may come my way as I carry out God’s work with my own life.
In the end, I know, God’s plan is for me to be victorious in all that I do for His glory. So I will not be deterred from that work, risky as it may sometimes be.
Thanks be to God for the inspiring strength of the Israelites and all others (including the Overton’s) who must suffer in defense of God’s great plans.