Is faith safe or risky?

Is faith just this safe, religious practice for you? A safety net in your life like the old hymn says “safe and secure from all alarm?” Is that faith?

Perhaps faith is more about risk then the elimination of it. I remember when I did a youth internship in 1994. I was still quite fearful of the whole “pasturing” thing, especially the thought of conducting funerals. The pastor I worked for worked with the funeral homes to conduct services for people not a part of a church. He would get a paper that would give information about the person and he used that to put the service together. The one I went to was for a guy who owned a strip club and liked to play pool and the family picked two songs: “Come Undone” by Duran Duran, and “Nights in White Satin” by the Moody Blues Brothers. At the time I couldn’t imagine how to do that funeral, I was nervous for him. I will always remember the words he challenged me with after the service…”Look for opportunities to be uncomfortable, to be stretched.”

Isn’t that what faith is all about? You don’t need faith if you can see everything visible and everything is covered. It’s about believing God not just believing in God. Hearing and doing. What faith risks is God asking you to take?