Too often it is easy for us to settle down to a comfortable level of living and we opt for the status quo.
When I was a high school student, I had a privileged position in the front row of one class where I had a desk-for-two all to myself.
One day, I was comfortably ensconced with my back leaning against the wall and my feet resting on the seat beside me. My books were spread out over the desk.
The class teacher, a tall swarthy man, approached me, leaned over and asked in a pleasant voice, ‘Are you comfortable, Chant?’
I answered politely, ‘Yes, thank you, sir.’
‘Well, don’t be!’ he roared back at me.
I sat up very quickly. That teacher knew that when we are studying it is possible to be too comfortable for our own good.
This is also true of life. Somebody once said that the good preacher comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. Both are needed from time to time.
If we are to live creatively for God, it will be necessary for us to leave our cosy spiritual security sometimes and take some exciting initiatives for God.
A boat in a storm is hardly comfortable, but Jesus called Peter out of it into something less comfortable still (Matthew 14:29-31).
To read more on this topic see Living in the Image of God, Barry Chant (Miranda: Tabor, 2012 available in eBook and Paperback) from which this edited extract is taken.