I celebrated faith in Jesus on Easter 2010 in a hospital bed recovering from an emergency c-section—as my baby struggled to breath at another hospital.
Those days I begged God for my son’s survival more than I imagine I’d plead with someone if they held a gun to my head. Over and over I wept, “Dear God, please save my son. Dear, God, please save my son.”
Day by slow day, through miracles and attentive doctors and nurses, my son lived—and he turns 14 this week.
So this Easter Monday, I pause to remember God’s power to bring my son home when it seemed hopeless.
At the same time, I also see in our story the last 14 years of parenting, that life after a miracle can be just as scary as when wondering if a miracle will come.
Life after a miracle can be just as scary as when wondering if a miracle will come.
Seana Scott
When we finally brought Kavin (my son) home from the hospital, my husband walked into the house with the infant car seat and our baby strapped in, set down the carrier on our hardwood floors, looked up at me and asked, “Now, what?”
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Regular life requires risky faith.
I didn’t know the answer to my husband’s question, “Now, what?” Those were early days of parenting a baby with medical needs, learning how to nurse, and wondering if he would stop breathing any moment.
Every moment became a tightrope faith walk. Every breath required risky faith. It’s risky to trust God when a loved one faces possible death like our son, but it’s also risky to trust the Lord in regular life, too (Prov. 3:5–6).
Risky faith means we offer our willingness to live in the unknown, trusting God’s bigger plan. while hoping that whatever happens, it will all be okay.
Regular life requires risky faith because most often we do not how everything will work out. Will our child turn to the Lord? Will we earn that promotion? Will our cancer treatment successfully put us into remission?
How do you need risky faith these days?
After the resurrection, men and women followers of Jesus needed risky faith to trust God and follow him, no matter the earthly outcome. And most of them also returned to regular life, believing and serving God in the fishing, cooking, making, and selling.
What does your normal day look like? This is the place of risky faith.
Seana Scott
READ
Take a deep breath before you read.
Acts 2:22–39 (NIV)
“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him:“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’29 “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
REFLECT
What did the Holy Spirit highlight for you?
What in your life is requiring risky faith? It can be as simple as believing God more—or as crazy as making a big move or change.
Meditate on these questions for a moment.
PRAY
Pray about your reflections above or here is a prayer to guide you:
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, one and only true God, we worship you. Lord, you know I like to play it safe. I don’t want to risk my comfort, my control, or my perceived best plans. But I know that you see far beyond what I can. Help me to trust you fully—to risk all I am on who you are. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Truth to Carry
Following Jesus is risky—but true life is found in no one else.
