Teaching was my boat - Ministry is my storm.

Today I visited my tutor at the Centre for Life Long Learning to discuss my independent study assignment. I am taking this to help make up the credits to graduate early and the very fact that I was doing so brought around the reality that I really am giving up teaching, despite the fact that my applications for ICC have not even been posted. It is, as I have been constantly reminded since making this decision, a big risk to miss out on my honours year.

Risk. A word people are reluctant to explore. It involves taking chances and the implications are often huge. There is uncertainty, a wide variety of possible outcomes and often throughout the risk-taking process a lack of security in the days ahead. Taking a risk is not something we often choose. Jesus was good at taking risks and encouraging his disciples to do so. He sent his followers out to minister and as he sent them he commanded them to take no food, no money, no staff and no robe. This was a big risk. No food meant no provisions for the journey; no money meant no security. Going without a staff meant that they had no defence against attacks and to go without robes meant no protection from the cold nights. Sometimes from this passage it's easy to think that Jesus was a little mean. However, in sending them out unequipped for the long journey ahead, Jesus was in fact enabling his disciples to learn to rely on God. If they did not have any of the essential things they needed, they were taking a risk. They had to have faith that God would provide.

'If You Want To Walk on Water You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat' is one of my favourite books, written by John Ortberg. Here Ortberg explores the passage in Matthew 14 where Jesus walks on water and calls Peter out of the boat. I never thought you could get so much encouragement and challenge out of such a short passage. The whole story encompasses the risk we take as Christians in our daily walk with Jesus. Here Peter takes a life-threatening, faith-making risk. He is required to leave the safety and security of his boat and step out on to a tossing sea, in which he is almost certain to drown. Never the less, when Jesus confirms his calling, Peter goes. He actually has the courage to climb over the side and take his first few steps across the water to Jesus but as his fear gets the better of him and he begins to sink. Jesus holds out his hand and pulls Peter in saying, 'Why did you doubt?'. Why did he?
The boat is our comfort zone. Jesus is our goal. The storm is everything in this world that may prevent us from reaching that goal.

Teaching is my boat. Ministry is my storm.

If I did my honours I would have a professional degree and my future could be secured. But God called me. Giving up my honours seems to deplete my security. Taking up children's ministry presents a degree of uncertainty and an element of risk that there is no guarantee for my future. However, if I have learned anything from the ministry of Jesus it is this: When God calls you, it is a risk: but you go. Jesus called to his disciples, "Come and follow me." so they dropped their nets and they followed. The disciples accepted the risk of persecution and rejection throughout their ministry. Over and over again they took risks which required immense faith. In each and every case, God remained faithful to his word and he provided. God is a God of providence. If I begin to doubt that, I too will sink.

So, a challenge for those who are insistent that I should have teaching as a backup:
There is nothing wrong with having a plan B. It is practical and it is helpful but when God has called us to go... we go. If there is concern that by missing out a year of university I am throwing away my future security, I have to call in to question your faith. Do you have so little faith that you doubt God will provide? Or do you have so little faith in me and believe that I am bound to fail?

Matthew 6:33 "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provision. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow." (MSG) v.34 So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have it's own worries." (NCV)

Not only does it make sense that we trust God given the biblical evidence that he will always provide but the bible commands us not to worry. This is our assurance that where God will lead us he will be true to his promises. We sing the words of Psalm 23 where we profess that God leads us to quiet waters and green pastures, that he is our protection through the darkest path. We sing, 'I will trust in you alone.' Heaven forbid that we should sing such songs for the moment and not apply them in our daily lives.

It takes faith to take a risk. I will take it and I will not worry about tomorrow.

Teaching was my boat. Ministry is my storm. Jesus called me. Do you really think I'd just sit in the boat?