God is good...but is He safe?

“Ah…time alone with you, Father. Quiet. Stillness. Peace. Rest in your presence. You really are such a cool God. With a huge heart. You make my heart feel protected. Happy. Loved. Warm. I feel safe in your arms. Even though you’re not safe, you are good, and that helps me to trust you in an ironic sort of way.” I wrote that in my journal today. I like writing to God. I express myself better on paper sometimes. When I write, something clicks from my heart to my pen. Today, I was thinking of the line from the Narnia movie when two of the characters are talking about Asland. (Who represents Jesus) One character, when talking about Asland, says, “He is not safe”, and the other responds with, “No, but he is good.” How can God be good, but not safe? It is an odd statement. I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel it in my heart to be true. I know his goodness, but I also know there is risk involved when following Him. OK, let’s take Jesus for instance. In Luke 22, Jesus was about to be crucified and he went to the Garden of Gethsemane to talk to God, his Father, about it. Jesus said in verse 42, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me…” Do you see that? The anguish Jesus faced in preparing to take on the sin of the entire world by being brutally beaten and destroyed. Do you see Jesus being safe right then? No way! But then Jesus goes on, “…yet not my will, but yours be done.” There. Jesus trusted in his Father’s goodness, even though he was not safe in any way, shape, or form. An angel appeared to him from heaven at that exact moment, and strengthened him, though. God didn’t leave him hangin’ high and dry. He strengthened him. Jesus was praying so earnestly, and was in so much anguish that his sweat was like drops of blood. (Verse 44) That’s intense. This scene blows my mind. It makes my heart ache to see what Jesus went through for me. The outcome though? I have eternal life through Jesus, because of his obedience to an “unsafe” God. That eternal life has already begun. I live an abundant, overflowing, amazing life because Jesus sacrificed for me. For you. I certainly see God’s goodness there. So yeah, following God is a risk. It’s not safe. It’s good. -submitted by Abby Amos