Faith

Zoo -vs- Safari

When I was a little kid I used to love Saturday mornings. Our typical routine was to get up watch some cartoons while mom made biscuits and chocolate gravy. After partaking of this “southern food of goodness” we would all pack up in the car and head to the local zoo. I loved going to the zoo. It was so much fun to see all the animals especially the chimpanzees. My love only deapend during one of these saturday morning adventures one of the chimpanzees flung what my sister thought was mud, it was epic. My love for the zoo has led me to many zoo adventures across the country. I still enjoy going and seeing the animals. My love for the zoo diminished a little in 1998. In 1998 I was asked to help lead a three week group tour to Africa. On this group tour I had the experience of a life time. I went on a safari. The sights were breath taking like nothing I had ever seen in a zoo before in fact if you think about I was the animal in the cage or the jeep this time. As we drove over the rugged and muddy roads and caught glimpses of some of the most majestic animals in their own habitat. We saw lions, running at full speed. Giraffes, Elephants, hippopotamus’s it was a total sensory overload. One of the most exhilarating parts of the trip is when we came around a bend in the road that was overgrown by vegetation which limited our view. As we came around the corner their standing in front of us was a full grown rhinoceros. I was not worried till our driver reached for the riffle that was by his side. Fortunately for us and the rhino decided that taking on our jeep was a bad idea and moved on. I saw things that day and experienced sights that still captivate me to this day.

This is allot like faith. As we get ready to start this capital campaign my wife and I have discussed what are going to give. My first response was well lets look at the budget and see what we can afford, “What is safe”. Essentially its like going to the zoo. You know what you are going to see and it will be safe and their is no risk or adventure. After praying with Belinda and listening to god we have decided to go on the safari. We feel god has asked us to increase our faith and give to the point where it might not be safe, it is going to be an adventure but I believe that in this adventure of faith like my safari in Africa we are going to see things like we have never seen before. We will look back years from know and have great stories to tell of the amazing things that God is going to do as a result of our obedience. I personally am just tired of living in faith only when I have to, like when the car breaks down or some other unforeseen emergency. I have asked God to teach us to live a life of faith adventure and I would challenge each of you to ask God what adventure he would want to take you on. I promise like my safari when it is over you will never be the same.

Pastor Chris