Leap of Faith
Some of my favorite films are found in the Indiana Jones franchise, particularly the 3rd installment, The Last Crusade, where Sean Connery plays Indiana’s father. In one scene, Indy has to cross a huge canyon without ropes or any other support. He is forced to step out into oblivion in faith and soon realizes that there is a bridge that was completely camouflaged from his sight. Watch it here.
I can’t imagine finding myself in that situation. I think that stepping out like Indy does in that scene would have been beyond my capability. Most of us would probably prefer to avoid situations that force us to move so far out of our comfort zone. It seems so much safer to reduce risk and remain within known parameters.
I recently read a definition of faith that said, “Faith is putting ourselves in situations where if God does not show up, we are in trouble.”[1] This is an important part of the maturation of our relationship with God. Yet, how frequently do we intentionally place ourselves in situations where we must fully rely upon God? Where we commit to something without knowing from where we will derive the energy? Where we make a financial gift without fully comprehending how we will make ends meet in other areas? Where we place ourselves in contexts where our faith and trust in God are all we have to rely upon? If we are honest, these types of situations are very uncomfortable and in the view of others, might even appear to be irresponsible.
Our summer sermon series has highlighted many such examples, yet because we are so familiar with these stories, they often appear to be unapplicable to our lives today. But, as I mentioned in my sermon a few weeks ago on the story of Gideon, the reason these famous stories have stood the test of time is because people saw themselves in the characters. They are usually not the heroes we make them out to be, but really very normal, just like all of us.
So, perhaps that could be a goal for each of us this fall. We could be more intentional about developing our faith in ways that will put us to the test, allowing God to show up in unexpected ways. We have several opportunities coming up through Mission Outreach and Neighborhood Action if anyone wants some practice. Please keep an eye on our Facebook group, Instagram and the Greetings from NAM newsletter for all of the latest details.
[1] Main, Bruce. Spotting the Sacred: Noticing God in the Most Unlikely Places. Baker Books, 2006.
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Dan Kreiss, RPC’s new Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach, brings with him a heart for service and a diverse array of experiences in the mission field. Be sure to subscribe to the Mission Outreach Blog to read and follow along as he documents his personal journey and shares his vision for RPC’s mission outreach commitment. Along with providing meaningful resources, this blog will help jumpstart the important conversations our church community must be having about missional living.
Dan Kreiss
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss is the Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach at RPC. Dan is particularly passionate about encouraging the church to reflect the diversity found in its surrounding community in regard to age, gender, ethnicity, education and economic status.