So Maggie divorced Charlie. And about a year after, I moved to another church in another city, and lost contact with Maggie.
About five years later, as I was walking into the house after the morning worship service, the phone rang. I answered it, and a voice on the other end said, "Clayton, this is Maggie."
"Maggie, how nice to hear from you," I replied. "How are you?"
"I'm fine."
"Where are you?"
"We are out on the outskirts of town."
"Who's 'we'?"
"Charlie and me. We're returning from our honeymoon. After we divorced, he went to live with his brother, got help, and about a year ago he came back, started courting me, and we got married last week."
She took the risk of faith. She had to push Charlie away and leave him in the hands of God.
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Mary and Martha were two sisters, whose brother Lazarus was critically ill. They sent for Jesus. Their faith led them to turn to the One who had healed many. But Jesus didn't respond soon enough, and Lazarus died. The sisters were crushed. But in due time Jesus showed up, and Lazarus was raised from the dead. Mary and Martha took the risk of faith in asking Jesus for help and they were bitterly disappointed. Jesus could have saved them so much heartache if He had come when they asked. But the risk of faith means also risking disappointment and heartache when Jesus doesn't work on our time schedule.
The risk of faith is letting go to God without guaranteed results ... relinquishing control to God without strings attached.
The risk of faith is putting your job, or your child, or your future, or your problem completely into the hands of our Heavenly Father, and trusting Him to work out His will in your life.
The risk of faith does not guarantee you'll get what you want in the end. It does guarantee peace and joy on the journey, for you put God in the driver's seat, and say Not my will, but Thine be done.
Some of you are standing on the brink of disaster ...
Some of you are flirting with temptation ...
Some of you are in marriages with a difficult partner ...
Some of you are distressed by rebellious children ...
Take the risk of faith. Let go of your most cherished dreams. Put them into God's hands. Learn from the writer of Proverbs: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (
Proverbs 3:5-6).
Understand the truth of the writer of Hebrews: What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see (
Hebrews 11:1 NLT).
Join that host of heroes who gambled on God ... Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Samson, David and far too many to name, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised.
To live is to risk. So risk it all on Jesus Christ.