Taking A Risk

Taking a Risk

How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:14-15

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”

Esther 4:15-16

My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

Acts 20:24

When you take a risk, you can lose money, lose face, or even lose your life. Is there anything wrong with taking a risk? It depends on why you’re taking the risk. Would it be worth the risk if your goal was to make a lot of money, to impress people, or just to have fun? Would it be worth the risk to go to a country where you might be put in jail for sharing the gospel?

There are numerous examples in Scripture of believers who took risks for the cause of God and his people. Esther risked being killed when she went before the king to save her people. Daniel risked being thrown in the lions’ den when he bowed to pray. Paul kept on preaching, despite the constant risk of beatings and imprisonment.

There is no promise that every effort for the cause of God will succeed, at least not in the short run. Taking a risk for God requires faith—not that God will keep you physically, personally, or financially safe, but that God is sovereign and will do what is right. We can put our confidence in his ultimate protection.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

Are there any scary things you like to do just for the fun of it? What are some of those things?

What possible risks in living out your commitment to Jesus make you uncomfortable?

What gives you the confidence to take risks for God? What can hold you back from taking those risks?