The Illusion of Safety

Click here to view a blog by Dr. Albert Mohler on the bridge collapse in Minneapolis.

Do you live with a conscious acknowledgement of the brevity of life? Do you understand that your life can end without you being involved in "risky" activities? Have you pondered the reality that you cannot die unless and until God wills you to do so?

We worry a lot. We worry about all kinds of perceived perils and often live our lives trying to avoid as much risk as possible. However, our days are numbered by the Lord and He alone is sovereign over our lives and our deaths. So what is our proper perspective on our lives when confronted by sudden tragedies like this?

First, be ready to meet Jesus. It could be before you take your next breath. Whether rock climbing or resting in your bed, your next breath is never guaranteed, so don't take it for granted that you have tomorrow to get right with God and to do business with Jesus.

Second, having taken care of the first issue, live with a boldness to take risks. This does not mean that you intentionally test God by doing things that are stupid. I can jump out of a plane without a parachute and trust God's sovereignty to keep me alive if it is his will, but my bet is that at this point God's will is for my death or severe physical disability! However, I can take risks of serving God in Baghdad or going to a dangerous part of a city to lead a study knowing that God will only allow my death IF it is for my good and His glory. How liberating! I need not be bound by fear and I can live in the liberty of knowing that to live is Christ and to die is gain!

Finally, the way we worry and the way we take Godly risks is an important part of our witness to the world. Our peace in the face of tragedy and our willingness to go into situations that defy human logic speak volumes to those who are watching us about whether we REALLY trust Jesus or just say that we do.

Weigh in with your take on this issue....