Okay, What Are the (Risks) Odds?
Naturally, I'm on the mailing list for my church. Nothing odd there. However, most weeks I'm too lazy to read through the entire newsletter, to my shame. It's kinda dumb not to because every time I read it I find something really cool - unless Chris includes something I wrote! Stop that! :) At any rate, there has been an uncanny connection the last several months between the work God has been doing in my life and what is happening at church. I'm talking obvious stuff. I'd have to be massively superstitious to overlook it - which consequently I'm not... unless you're along the lines of considering faith in a completely invisible God superstitious! Feel free to label me this fool, as I'd rather be a fool for Christ than a simple person for myself!
I just now read the newsletter for October 9, and here is what I found - hopefully "safe to post", since it's in the past now:
Ethnos: Risk Management
Mark your calendar! On Sunday the 19th we will be conducting a Risk Management Training class required for anyone ministering for the Kingdom on behalf of Ethnos Church.
What is Risk Management and why it's important? Simply speaking, the risk we are speaking of is any uncertainty about a future event that threatens your organization's ability to accomplish its mission. For us here at Ethnos Church, risk management is part of our preparation for serving our community in a safe and nurturing environment. Things (or assets) that may be at risk may include some of the following: people, property, financial assets, and goodwill in the community. Furthermore, risk management is a discipline for dealing with the possibility that some future event will cause harm. It provides strategies, techniques, and an approach to recognizing and confronting any threat faced by Ethnos in fulfilling our mission.
The three main questions that we may need to address are the following:
- What can go wrong? (risk)
- What will we do? (preventive and remedial measures)
- How will we pay for it? (liability)
Okay, so you're thinking "Big deal! What does that mean or count for?" I might have had the same reaction - and surely would have - had I read this newsletter prior to 4 hours ago. Nevertheless, I've been thinking about a course of action for my own life that has much risk. The only difference is that I labeled my document "Pros & Cons - Risk Assessment". I'm sorry to bait and switch, for I cannot yet reveal what this calling is. And yes, I can believe none other than it is a direct calling of God. Yet, I testify to anyone reading, and I admit no lie at all in this report, that just some hours ago, I wrote much on this exact topic. The odds are so outstanding and blaring that my head is on the verge of another brain shake... yet I believe the Lord will bring me through, for this is an astonishment of His glory, not a broken body in the flesh. My testiment is this: I just wrote 3026 words on this very topic according to OpenOffice.org's word count feature. I boast not in myself, but in the Lord. For this is yet another confirmation to me that He is at work in my life. I hope this is encouraging. I know how discouraging it can be to read stuff that's supposedly encouraging. I've been there so many times I can't stand it. But now I have much encouragement from God, and I wish to share... please be patient with me as I hint and peck at the issue without shouting it from a hilltop (coming soon, Lord willing).
So, sure, I missed that particular Sunday due to unforeseen circumstances. One could read into that and suppose that this is all chalked up to mere circumstances and chance. Perhaps, but then I must reduce the God of the universe to a cube that fits in my box of choice... and I'm unwilling to stoop so low. I missed that Sunday for a reason, and much has happened since then. I dare say as Joseph did that, what may have been intended for evil (missing church ain't that bad... but let's just say it was an odd Sunday), God has used to bring about much good (Genesis 45:5). I dare not compare myself to Joseph... but I can't help but notice God at work.