Session 2

Our job is not to keep God from embarrassment.

Falling into God's hands is scary but not falling into His hands is terrifying.
In Narnia, Lucy asks beaver if Aslan the lion is safe. Beaver simply says, no, but he's good.

A safe God:
asks nothing of us
gives nothing to us
never drives us to our knees in hungry desperation
never sets us on our feet in fierce, fixed determination
never makes us bold
never asks that we embarrass ourselves
never says anything besides greeting card slogans
helps us escape reality

Would you agree? Look over the list again and ask yourself if you would like that. The above reminds me of a couch 'potato'. A slob. A safe God is what many also fear... a boring religion. The opposite is seen in the many Biblical stories, one in particular: Gideon. He was asked to tear down all the idols in his community. He was so scared he did it at night. He was asked to fight an opposing army with no weapons and only 300 men. God made them victorious. Here, God asked, gave desperation and determination, gave boldness and was engulfed with real life, real battles.

Some call on God like calling an errand boy, to make golf games pleasant.
But do we worship him? Die for him? Believe the cross is for us?
God's main business is not making sure we get a close parking spot to the mall because the colour bedsheet we want is on sale - miracle! - but is making us holy: where both the kindness and sternness of God is needed.