Sense of Adventure

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” After three smacks on the snooze button, a reluctant climb out of bed, a shaving nick on my chin and an extra-long soaking in the shower one recent morning, my wife had the nerve to ask me, “Where’s your sense of adventure?” This was after we had stayed up well past normal sleeping hours wrapping Christmas gifts, writing notes, copying tapes of the church Christmas services, doing dishes and folding laundry. I wasn’t really up for much more adventure.

We’d already wrestled with the boys to get them to sleep which was challenging enough because Tyler’s Sunday School teacher sugared him up at a Christmas party before bringing him home, and Toby was still on a cookie high from the night before at a church fellowship. The goal of finishing our Christmas cards and cleaning house would not be fully accomplished this night. I’d had all the adventure I could take!

Maybe I’m getting old. The adventure of late night movie dates and going out or staying up with each other into the wee hours of the morning just don’t happen as often anymore as they did in the B.C. years (Before Children). Even pulling the occasional all-nighter in seminary seems distant past adventure. And when was the last time I went up on the mountainside and spent the night praying to God?

Yeah, she asked a pretty good question, “Where’s your sense of adventure?” Maybe it’s not in the context of household chores and gift-wrapping, but I don’t ever want to lose the sense of adventure in this life!

Living the Christian faith according to the Word of God is the most challenging and thrilling adventure anyone could ever embark upon. When you’re abiding in the Lord Jesus and growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, and He’s revealing more of Himself, more of His heart, more of His will – there’s nothing more satisfying and sweet! When you’re bowing down in worship, yielding your life in obedience as a living sacrifice and communing with the Almighty Maker of the heavens and the earth in purposeful, passionate prayer – you’re never more fully alive. When His Word becomes the lamp unto your feet and the light unto your path, and when the Holy Spirit of God fills you and teaches you and guides you on the way – you’re never more at peace or so full of joy.

If you think the Bible is boring or the Christian life is dull, then you’re missing out on the adventure of a lifetime.

The Bible tells of adventure from the words “God created in Genesis 1:1 to the promise of Christ’s soon return in Revelation 22. Just look at what adventurous lives the heroes of the faith led! Look at Noah, who sailed on a high seas adventure for over a year riding out the greatest storm in history. Look at Abraham, who left his home when God called him to go to a land He would later give to his descendents, promising to make him into a great nation and blessing all the peoples on earth through him. Look at Moses, whose young life led him in a papyrus basket down the banks of the Nile and who later stretched out his hand over the Red Sea as God parted the waters to save the His people. Every story reverberates with action and adventure, drama and tragedy, revelation and salvation as God makes Himself known to those who open their hearts to receive Him.

One of the greatest accounts of adventure in the Christmas narratives involves some unnamed “Magi” from the east who came searching for the newborn King. Somehow God revealed the truth of His Son to them and gave them a burning desire to follow the star in order to find the baby Jesus. Just try using your holy imagination to recreate the scene in which these wise men decided this journey was one they knew they had to make. “Dude, where are we going?” “I don’t know – just follow that star!” Just imagine the stories they told when they came home. There’s the encounter with Herod in Jerusalem, the dream warning them to return by another route, and then, there’s the object and delight of their adventure – the child, Jesus, whom they came to worship. The Bible says they were “overjoyed” when God led them to Jesus, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with the best gifts they had to offer.

Where’s your sense of adventure? Follow the star that leads to Jesus and bow down to worship Him as Savior and Lord. Then give Him your life in faith and obedience, and you’ll be living the most thrilling adventure known to man.