I Accepted Christ: Now What?Sample

Walk Away?

Initially, it sounded like a good idea. But the more the banker explained the terms of the loan, the riskier the plan sounded. Once he tried to assure us there was no way we could lose, I knew we had to walk away from the deal. It was a good thing, too. Because two years later, my company went out of business, and the housing market crashed. We would have lost everything.

Following Christ can be risky too. Eventually, God will ask us to do something we don’t like. Maybe it’s a lifestyle choice we realize God wants us to change or a teaching in Scripture that feels outdated. Either way, when it happens, we have a choice to make: walk away or continue to follow Him.

When Jesus explained to His followers that he was “the bread of life,” many could not accept it and chose to walk away. Even His disciples had trouble. They called it “a hard saying” (John 6:60), but when Jesus asked them if they were going to walk away, too, Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Peter’s answer is wonderful because he doesn’t deny his struggle with Jesus’ words. Essentially, he says, “I don’t get it, but I know who You are, Jesus. I trust You more than I trust me. So, I’m staying.”

When my wife and I first became missionaries, God called us to leave our jobs and move a thousand miles away. Talk about risky! In the beginning, it was fine, but soon the loneliness began to feel overwhelming. I remember wanting to walk away from it all. But I found myself saying, “Where else can I go? You have the words of eternal life.”

How do you respond when faced with teaching from Scripture that challenges your beliefs?

What would it take for you to trust God’s way over yours?