It's Easy to Sacrifice The Priests! But what about Jericho?

So sorry for the long title, but it's the whole point of this particular mind-letting.

I was thinking about how risk relates to faith and just exactly how far we are willing go in our faith-walk. If we relegate 'risk' to the realm of everyday living, many of us will fall into the category of needing to be insured. Risk is part and parcel to life. That's because we are either maverick in nature, or we are accident prone. Sometimes there are cross-overs. For instance, I am somewhat maverick...meaning I'll see something, a goal or mission, a good idea, whatever...and I'll go for it. It's kind of like that wild stallion snorting and looking for a fight. Adventure! Danger-Will Robinson! Excitement! Extraordinary Experience! These are words that describe the maverick nature. (You know how to describe 'accident prone').

Here's a "for instance" that demonstrates the fact that we need insurance for our maverick and/or accident prone moments. In July I traded vehicles. I got rid of the old Buick and got and even older pick-up. Mint condition, low mileage, zippy, cool, not a scratch on it. Wednesday night after church, Jean and I were on our way home. We were talking and just enjoying the ride when out of the dark, two massive bucks (deer for the uneducated) sauntered across the highway. Now, I have never ever hit a deer on the highway...mainly because of my race-car type driving skills. But this was going to be close. Plus I had a new, scratchless truck to protect. I slammed my size 9 onto the brake and the tires began to sing...screetch...and scream. No wait, the scream was from Jean. Anyway, the huge rear end of the first buck darted by the right bumper...clean miss. The 10 point antlers of the second bobbed downward as the other buck put on his own brakes. I was by....my skill saved the truck. That is until I heard the audible thump from the back fender. I looked in the rear view in time to see the stunned second buck shake his head and run off. Now, I have an antler produced scratch down the side of the pickup bed and a nice big dent behind the fender. Bucks "1", nice clean white truck "0"! Bummer! So, sometimes life is a risk...right?

Did you know that God calls us to that thing called "risk" from time to time? Take Joshua, for instance. God told him, and 2 million Israelites, to cross a flood-filled Jordan River and move into the land of promise. No problem...put the priests out front and see what happens! Joshua did, and they didn't sink. I can imagine his praise.... "It worked! It worked! Thank you God, it worked!" But there wasn't much risk for Joshua himself. I mean, priests are expendable right? Plenty of them to go around. But wait...there's more.

A few days later, God told Joshua to LEAD the people around the impenetrable walls of the fortress Jericho. You know...out front...with all the responsibility...every eye watching. Now that was risk! To make it riskier, God told Joshua to do it for seven days straight, then on the seventh, he was to take seven whirls around the city. Whoa! Can you imagine Joshua's thoughts the fifth time around on the seventh day?

"Now God, this better work or I'm toast," says Joshua.
God returns, "Now big guy, remember the priests and the Jordan?"
"Yeah God, but they were just priests. This is me we're talking about. What if the walls don't fall? What if the people get tired? What if they don't shout loud enough? Man, God, this is a really big risk we're taking. I'm not sure I can do this, plus, my feet are getting hot," Joshua responds.

"Hey Josh, guess what? In my scheme of things, you're expendable too! Yes, I know what you're thinking, and I know you're feet are hot. It's all a risk. The point is: you just need to obey! Go for it. What do you have to lose? These people are going to give you trouble anyway. May as well make them walk a bit, you know, wear 'em down, show 'em a miracle, before you head on into the promised land!"
"Okay God, you're the chief here," Joshua surrenders.
Then, the walls fell flat! Wow!

If common sense would have gotten the best of Joshua, Israel would have gone back across the Jordan and would be desert dwellers today. Instead, Joshua took the risk of faith and obedience and, bam!!!, promised land title deed is in his hand.
It is amazing to see people in the process of a faith walk. Some consider the nice quiet life of general Christian living as a faith walk. I don't! General Christian living is safe and BORING! No, God calls us to hike up the mountain and bike down the other side, twists-turns-thrills-spills and all. He calls us into a walk of the Holy Spirit. No joke, that's not a normal, general Christian life. It's filled with rushing mighty winds, fiery tongues of white-hot-molten holiness, and boldness to speak the truth of Christ in the face of a relativistic, Godless culture. And in the long run, we're considered expendable to the cause. Cool thing though: we have INSURANCE!