A Peaceful Adventure!

I crave peaceful adventures! That is, I desire an exciting, breathtaking experience but want to feel safe in the process. (Does that still count as an adventure? HaHa!) Typically, mine include a fun trip or a good hike. I enjoy challenging mountain paths with a sweet, rewarding surprise at the end. My favorite is a grand waterfall cascading over multiple drops that gather in a small natural pool before tumbling downward between the mountain creek banks. 

My mind travels from the simple adventure of a good hike to the grand adventures of my God. I believe God is a God of adventure. How about you?

As a Christ-follower, He has invited me on a journey with Him. It began as a new believer. As I trusted Him, I took my first step into the unknown. I only saw what was directly in front of me. The path was unclear. However, the longer I have walked with the Lord, the better the experience. With each step, I know Him more. To have a spiritual adventure, we must take the first step and then trust Him in the journey. God often asks His people to follow Him on unexpected journeys. Often it truly is an adventure. I think of friends who move to faraway places to share the good news. I remember those who turned down high-paying jobs to follow the Lord to a life of ministry. I am reminded of Abraham in Scripture and God's invitation to leave his home and follow God to a new place. I read of how God took Joseph from the prison to the palace! God is a God of adventure, and His adventures are always good. They may not be easy but they are good. His journey may have unexpected twists and turns, challenging us in ways we never anticipated. Yet, if we say yes to the invitations, we will be amazed by how He moves through us. His plans for us are far greater than we can imagine, and His faithfulness is unwavering. The path always leads to a sweet reward, like many of my moutain hikes.

C.H. Surgeon Devotional from Truth for Life says it this way: 

"When we first believe in Christ, we see only a little of Him. The higher we climb, the more we discover of His beauty. Who has known all the heights and depths of the love of Christ that passes knowledge? When Paul had grown old and was sitting gray-haired and shivering in a dungeon in Rome, he was able to say with greater emphasis than we can, 'I know whom I have believed,' for each experience had been like the climbing of a hill, each trial had been like ascending another summit. His death seemed like gaining the top of the mountain, from which he could see the whole panorama of the faithfulness and love of Him to whom he had committed his soul. Get up, dear friend, into a high mountain." 

I don't know where you are in your journey today, but I want to encourage you to say yes to God's adventous callinging in you life. Dive into His Word daily, communicate with Him through prayer, and trust Him in every aspect, both big and small. Lean into His loving embrace and follow His path. Trust Him in the process, for He is the breathtaking reward at the end of our journey. Keep walking, keep moving towards the Lord. It may be an uphill climb, but I assure you, He is worth every step! The adventurous God is right beside you, holding your hand as you walk with Him. 

Psalm 121 reads, "I lift my eyes to the mountains; where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip; he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you; the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."