The Thing I Fear Most

I finally bought a scanner today with which I could scan all of my old 35 mm slides. I can finally digitize and catalog hundreds of photos taken over the course of the past 16 years that chronicle my journeys in Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa all taken prior to the advent of the digital camera. Its a slow process, but it is providing me with an opportunity to remember some pretty amazing adventures. The lions pictured here were snapped on my very first trip to Kenya in October of 1992. I, along with two companions, was driving along the road and there they were. It was the most exhilarating moment I had ever experienced to that point in my life. He truly was one of the most breathtakingly majestic creatures I had ever encountered and so close I could feel him breathing. This is not the only encounter with lions I've had - not even the closest - but it was the first, and it left an image burned in my brain that will never go away.

Every time I read these words the image you see above is the one I see in my mind:
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

In the movie "Talladega Nights - the Legend of Ricky Bobby," Ricky Bobby said he liked the baby Jesus best. That's where a lot of believers are in their relationship to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. When they think of Jesus, their minds wander back to a manger surrounded by shepherds and beautiful, glowing angels hovering over. They like the baby Jesus best because He is sweet and gentle and. . . . . . safe. There are no expectations or demands.

There is another Jesus with which we all feel pretty comfortable as well. He's the One hanging on a cross. Its a terrible image and powerful at the same time. Beaten and bloodied beyond recognition, but crying out "Father, forgive them" and washing away all our sins. Certainly not a sweet picture - but still one that gives us a sense of well being.

The problem is that we subconsciously keep Jesus in the manger or on the cross because those are pretty simple images to keep boxed up. They fit nicely within our cozy little religious "comfort zone," and they make us feel safe. Reality is though, that Jesus is not in a manger and He no longer hangs on a cross. When He returns He will come as the Righteous Judge, a sharp, two-edged sword in His mouth. He will be robed with garments dipped in blood, riding upon a great white steed and accompanied by an innumerable heavenly host.


The logical jump in this train of thought is this: That's the Jesus we serve now. Not the babe in the manger that Ricky Bobby likes best or the suffering savior hanging helplessly on the cross, faithfully discharging His duties as the sacrificial lamb, but the One that caused John to go weak in the knees on the Isle of Patmos and causes the whole of Hell to tremble at the mention of His Name. This is the Jesus I want to serve! The one that causes me tremble in His presence.

In the course of 16 years of traveling all over the world I have been car wrecked, shot at, burned out, stranded in the bush, and wracked with malaria. I've eaten monkeys and bugs, slept on the ground, shared a house with a goat, stared down a baboon, walked with lions, crossed rivers swarming with crocs, and been attended by an angel. I have preached to crowds so huge they fill whole towns and held church under the branches of a tree. I've seen men and babies die of machete wounds, AIDS, TB, malaria and malnutrition. The thing I fear the most is being safe.

When one is safe he doesn't need a miracle. When one is safe he doesn't desperately need to see the power of God manifested. Angels don't manifest in the safe places, they inhabit the battlefield. When you're in the safe place, "sweet baby Jesus" is all you need.

Whenever I take a team into the field I tell them straight out, "You won't be safe, but you will see God."