Encouragement for Today - Sept. 14, 2009

September 14, 2009

A Good Kind of Reckless

"'Come,' he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" Matthew 14:29-30 (NIV)

Devotion:

A while back, I opened my daily devotion and the theme verse was the passage above. When I first began reading I thought, "Oh, I know this passage backwards and forwards: Peter stepping out onto the stormy waves. A great story of faith and keeping focused on Christ." But in this particular devotion, there was a different focus. The key word used was "reckless." It explained we are to be reckless in our faith - not habitual, not routine, not guarded. Reckless.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the definition of reckless: Utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action; without caution. If you ask me, reckless doesn't sound like a good thing! When it comes to acting without caution, usually the consequences are negative, resulting in pain and problems that could have been avoided had common sense been used.

But when it comes to our faith, acting without caution is an awesome quality. Reckless faith is…

Living out loud for God, regardless of the consequences.

Opening ourselves up to be Christ's hands and feet in situations where most people close themselves off.

Reaching people others have deemed unreachable.

Loving those who are not very lovable and do not return our love.

Forgiving when forgiveness is not justifiable by the world's standards and making others wonder if we have our head on straight.

Changing direction in life because God called us to even if it doesn't make sense.

Reckless faith is being abandoned for Christ, completely surrendered to Him without restraint, and at peace with the consequences of what might happen.

Peter was reckless in earthly terms. He jumped onto the sea during a raging storm without a flotation device, into waves big enough to capsize his boat. However, if you think about it, it really wasn't Peter's earthly actions that were reckless; it was Peter's spiritual faith.

He had reckless faith: Without thinking, without distress over consequences, without anxiety over what might happen, and without concern for what his friends might think, Peter had faith.

Peter had reckless faith. And we can too! Reckless faith means doing what God has called us to do, commanded us to do, and prompted us to do - because it brings Him glory. Those who witnessed Peter's reckless faith didn't ooh and aah over Peter. Instead, like Peter, they fixed their eyes on Jesus. "Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God'" (Matthew 14:33, NIV).

There are a few times in my life when I've exhibited reckless faith, and found God blessed me immensely as a result. Unfortunately, there are many more times I've chosen to remain safely in my boat. It is so much easier to stay afloat in the safety of our comfort zone than to step out into stormy waters, putting all of our trust in Christ.

Reckless faith requires a vibrant and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. When we climb from the safety boat and exhibit that, we spur those still in their boats to fix their own eyes on Him, and worship the Son of God.

How is God calling you to be reckless for Him today?

Dear Lord, truly You are the Son of God. I know You have called me to reckless faith, but it is hard to step out. Infuse me with courage to climb out of my boat in whatever way You have called me to. Please help me hear You and give me bravery to move beyond my comfort zone. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Reinventing Your Rainbow by Tracie Miles