We are considering security and adventure. Some have security and no adventure. I saw a couple on board a ship who simply lived from meal to meal, their faces bovine. They were retired on plenty—and nothing. They sat in the living room staring. Finally the man got up, went to the mantel, lifted a vase, came back, and reported to his wife, “It’s empty.” It was momentous news—an empty vase!
The couple were more empty than the vase. They had security with boredom—no adventure. They had expanding girths and narrowing horizons.
On the other hand, many have adventure and no security. They are always adventuring into adventure, but they have no base for inner security. In climbing Everest, the climbers had to establish a base of supplies to which they could return after an adventure. Without the base, they would have perished.
In Jesus, we have both security and adventure. We go in and are secure. If the earth should drop from beneath us we would still be secure with a habitation of God, eternal in the heavens. Because we go in, we can go out—go out into adventure. With our base established and firm, we are no longer afraid of this thing called life. “He who would love life”—some fear life, some distrust life, some retreat out of life, some hate life—and some love it! In Christ, we love life because we love Life.
We can say to death: “O death, where is thy sting?” (1 Cor. 15:55). We can also say to life: “O life, where is thy sting?” Its very stings become our stimulus—they push us forward into the arms of Life. It’s fun to be a Christian—and to me it’s getting more fun all the time!
THE PRAYER
O Jesus, Thou dost redeem us from boredom and staleness and ennui. Thou dost put a tingle in our blood and dost make our brain cells dance to the rhythm of things. We bless Thee for life, and for life more abundant. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY
With one point of the compass on Jesus, I let the other point sweep as far as it will— into truth and adventure.
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One Response
Any life that is empty
Of the awareness
Of the presence
Of the living Jesus
Is missing the reality
Of the security
And the adventure
Of this good news:
“Christ in you,
the hope of glory.”
“Fill my cup, Lord!”