25 years ago my sister Gina became a dangerous person. At the time I was attending Moody Bible Institute and she came to visit. She had a secret purpose: she wanted to pepper me with questions concerning the meaning of life, and more specifically, she wanted to know if Jesus really was who he said he was. Was he the Son of God? We spent 2 days together, I took her to all my Bible classes, we had meals together, and she heard a powerful sermon by Joseph Stowell the President of our College during chapel. On the last day of her stay, we went to the library so I could catch up on some homework while she read. But as it turned out, it was there in the quiet of that room we had a three hour conversation concerning the issues of eternity: "How can you trust the Bible?" "Do you believe the end of the world is coming?" and "What does it really mean to be Born Again?" I was able to direct her to the exact scriptures that answered her questions ("Thanks Holy Spirit"), and I explained to her how I was a completely different person once I received the life of Jesus by faith. It was a God ordained visit, but what really capped it off was our car ride back to her hotel. I put a song on the car radio by Steve Camp called "Living Dangerously." I said, "Gina, you have to listen to this song, it communicates perfectly what living for Christ means to me." As I played it, the tears rolled down her cheeks. Here are the lyrics... How easily Jesus is forgotten amid the comfort of my life How the flames become a flicker, and faith a brilliant disguise Our Sundays become a holiday, they're an empty exercise And the cost of real devotion seems so foreign to my life Oh, to gladly risk it all, oh to be faithful to His call Abandoned to grace yet anchored in His love Living dangerously in the hands of God Our Lord He is a hiding place, His hold is strong and sure Though the storms may rage around me in His love I stand secure So let me live like I believe it, and though my faith is prone to fail Though I cower under trial, by His grace I shall prevail Oh, to gladly risk it all, oh to be faithful to His call Abandoned to grace yet anchored in His love Living dangerously in the hands of God Spoken: There's safety in complacency, but God is calling us out of our comfort zone into a life of complete surrender to the cross. To live dangerously is not to live recklessly but righteously. And it is because of God's radical grace for us that we can risk living a life of radical obedience for Him. You've got to walk on for the Lord He walks with us You've got to walk on though it costs you everything You've got to pray on Spoken: For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth, that He may strongly support those whose hearts are completely His. (2 Chronicles 16:9 NASB) Oh, to gladly risk it all, oh to be faithful to His call Abandoned to grace yet anchored in His love Living dangerously in the hands of God Living dangerously Are you living dangerously Oh we ought to be living dangerously in the hands of God The key part that hit her in this song is the phrase highlighted in red: "To live dangerously is not to live recklessly but righteously." Think about it: It is easy to drink alcohol (who can't swallow liquid), it is easy to smoke weed (who can't inhale, that is except for Bill Clinton), who can't have sex ( a famous writer whose name slips my mind once quipped, "why do we humans brag about something donkeys and horses can do much better than us?"), and who can't swear, lie, cheat and steal?
Do you know what is difficult and dangerous? To live your life for Christ - - and Jesus gave us the reason why in Luke 6: Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets." My sister understood that living for Christ had purpose, meaning and satisfaction. She wanted Christ and the life he offered, so she gave her heart, mind and soul to him that day on the way to the hotel. And it was a dangerous thing to do. As G. K. Chesterton once famously said: Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried. Have you really ever tried it? If the answer is no, you really are not as dangerous as you may think! Love you Gina, and I am proud to be your brother twice, physically and spiritually!
6 Comments
Mickie Traxler
9/29/2014 03:00:54 am
Chris, This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. You are so Blessed, with Words, with Wisdom, with Strength and oh so many who love you. I am one of those. My respect for you is immeasurable. My gratitude endless and my dedication to our Lord Jesus Christ, our Church, your beautiful wife and family and to YOU is clearly a miracle. How lucky we really are. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR SHARING THIS. Mickie
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Christopher Weeks
9/29/2014 03:13:00 am
Mickie, you will never know how much your comments mean to me today! Thanks sooo much!!
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9/29/2014 04:44:31 am
Chris,
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chirs
9/29/2014 05:46:09 am
thanks gigo,
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Doug
9/29/2014 05:09:38 am
Well said! Oh how easy it is to fall into the "want to be liked" black hole. Jesus saved us to "live like we believe it". That is going to be hard if you are people pleaser. If we live life for an audience of one you are going to be un-popular for all the right reasons. Thanks for sharing your life, your family (they are awesome), and sharing your struggles as you live out your faith. You are an encouragement and a blessing to me! Love you brother.
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chris
9/29/2014 05:46:49 am
doug,
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