Blow Something Up

     The Big Thunder Mountain roller coaster in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom will always have a soft spot in my heart: It was my daughter Abbie's first fast ride, one she went on when her brother was not even tall enough yet to ride, and she loved it.

     BTM does not have a well-developed story, but the theming in the wait queue provides a few hints. The iconic orange sandstone mountain peaks and plateaus rise up out of an idealized American Frontier in the Gold Rush era. Riders are invited to join in the quest for riches as gold miners amidst the "Big Thunder" of the dynamite blasting deep down in the mine shafts. A variety of signs warn that this will be a dangerous job, raising anticipation that the ride will not be "safe" but rather an exciting runaway train chasing through explosions on every side.

     Big Thunder Mountain reminds of a simple principle: if you want to find the gold, you've got to blow something up. Up above, there is nothing but barren desert and dry dust. Down below, glittering amidst the cavernous mine shafts, is the evidence of the valuable gold nuggets. The explosive charges, wires and sticks of dynamite are all there, but to get from the worthless dust to the precious metal, at some point you have to light the fuse and let the thunder roll.

     Psychologists suggest that every one of us is motivated by both desire for gain and fear of loss. Some of us tend more towards risk-avoiding behavior, while others tend more towards reward-seeking behavior. I myself tend to be more of a risk-avoider.  To be sure, the scriptures would warn us against foolish behavior that is unnecessarily risky. However, I think we sometimes overlook how much the Bible, taken as a whole, encourages a willingness to take risks in order to seek reward, provided it is the right reward.

     In the great "faith chapter" of the Bible, Hebrews 11, we read: "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Notice that faith is described here not merely as abstract belief in the existence of God, but rather as an active, confident trust that God has good rewards, and that he is willing to give them to us if we are willing to seek Him. Faith is acting like it's worth my time and energy to pursue God. God is not concerned that we will ask Him for too much, but that we ask for too little; we are content with less than what He desires to give us, satisfied with something other than the fullness of His promise for us.

     The great failure of the first generation of Israelites who came out of slavery in Egypt was their unwillingness to enter into the Promised Land (see Numbers 13-14). Do you know the story? They sent out twelve spies, and ten of them came back warning of the risks: the people of the land were giants living in well-fortified cities, and would surely squash the Israelites like grasshoppers. Only two of the spies brought back a report that focused on the rewards: clusters of grapes so large it took two people to carry them, a land flowing with milk and honey. More importantly, the two faith-filled spies recognized that if God was with them, the forces that were against them were outweighed by the power of God that was for them. Unfortunately, the people chose to listen to the ten nay-sayers rather than the two with great faith, and they spent the next forty years wandering in the desert until a new generation rose up that was willing to trust God to take the land.

     When God calls you to a new vision, you can bet that it will require some risk. God's will is not guaranteed to be "safe." On the contrary, stepping into God's destiny for your life almost always puts you in the path of danger on some level. But if it is truly the voice of God calling you, then you can also count on two more things: first, that God is more powerful than the dangers that oppose you. And second, that the rewards far outweigh the risks.

     Of course, God's callings are not to merely earthly treasures like gold and silver, a paid off mortgage and a healthy retirement fund (although God can and does provide material resources to meet our needs and enable our mission). The Holy Spirit offers us eternal treasures: Souls to be saved, lives to be changed, lasting relationships to be built, communities to be invested in for generations to come. Above all, we are called to the ultimate treasure of experiencing the presence, power and glory of God. God reveals Himself to everyone, but the fullness of His Spirit is a reward only revealed fully to those who choose to pursue Him with complete abandon.

     Paul wrote to his protege Timothy:

For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God…For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. (1 Tim. 1:6-8, 12)

     It's natural to have a timid spirit—a desire to keep our safe, comfortable lives intact, and avoid the risks of suffering that inevitably come from answering a call from God. The last thing we want to do is set off any explosives. But without some dynamite, we stay at the surface level, inheriting nothing but some dusty desert.

     God wants us instead to have a spirit of courage, to be bold in seeking after the reward, confident that God will come through. We have to light the fuse of faith and blow up our safe, protected, sheltered lives. Only then can we step on board the adventure ride of the Spirit's calling, and discover the gold of God's eternal rewards.