What do you think life was like for Moses before he encountered God speaking to him through a burning bush? How about for Noah before God told him to start building a boat? Or for Abraham before God called him to leave his home and go to the land He would show him? Or how about Jeremiah who was a priest in the territory of Benjamin before God called him to be a prophet to Judah?

What about the disciples whom Jesus called? Peter and Andrew were casting a net into the lake when Jesus showed up and invited them to follow Him. James and John were fishing with their father when Jesus called them. Levi was at work collecting taxes when Jesus called him.

I’ll bet life for each of them was routine. One day was pretty much like the next. Wake up. Work. Eat. Sleep. And do it all again the next day. And the next.

Throw in a couple errands or some homework, some family responsibilities or whatever technological distractions (phone, internet, television) we enjoy and our lives aren’t all that different than theirs. It’s all somewhat routine. One day dissolves into the next. And before we know it…another year has passed.

Routine. Sameness. Life on auto-pilot.

It sounds boring, doesn’t it?

In a sense though, it’s what we strive for everyday. We want a life that’s free of unnecessary risks. We do everything we can to minimize pain and maximize pleasure. We work hard to create an environment for ourselves that’s safe, secure and predictable.

The last thing we want is for anything to disturb or disrupt our world.

But an undisturbed or undisrupted (I think I made up that word) life is all about me. It’s a selfish, self-centered, me-first life.

It’s not a life that God blesses. It’s not a life that advances His kingdom. It’s a life quickly forgotten. It’s a life of minimal value or impact.

We can’t have it both ways. We can’t arrange for ourselves a safe, comfortable existence, but also experience God’s presence and power in our lives. It’s what I do though. I play it safe. I avoid risk. I don’t want to be disturbed. And I certainly don’t want to be disrupted.

In other words, I want to be the lord of my life. I want to call the shots. I want to choose where I’ll live and what I’ll do. I will decide if and when plans need to be changed.

But God is a disruptor.

He disrupted Moses. He disrupted Abraham. He disrupted Noah. He disrupted the disciples.

He disrupted everyone He’s ever used to accomplish anything great.

Disruption is the catalyst for adventure. I love how adventure is defined:

• an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks
• the encountering of risks
• an exciting or remarkable experience

Doesn’t every great story involve some element of danger, unknown risks and remarkable, exciting experiences?

I wonder how many men (or women) experience a mid-life crisis because they’ve avoided the elements of a great story. When our most exciting experience is the roller coaster at Six Flags and we’ve structured life for ourselves and our families to be risk-free, then no wonder we’re looking for something to make us feel alive by the time we reach our 40’s.

Of course the extra-marital affair or expensive new car is the wrong type of excitement and adventure. What we’re really looking for is the kind of adventure only God can bring. We were designed to live in relationship with God and partner with Him in advancing His kingdom. And that will require us to walk by faith, overcome obstacles, encounter risks and battle an enemy.

That kind of adventure is unsettling, terrifying, thrilling and satisfying all at the same time. It requires everything we’ve got. And some. It means mistakes will be inevitable. Failure will be possible. And danger is a given.

Or we can just keep playing it safe. We can be content to know about God, but not ever really know Him. If we sense Him calling us to something risky, we can convince ourselves it’s not the “wise” thing to do.

Leaving your dad and your steady fishing job to follow a new rabbi would be absurd, right? So would leaving the safety of your home of forty years to go confront a world leader. And building a boat in the middle of nowhere because God told you to…well, that only sets you up for ridicule.

Is God stirring something inside you? If He called you to join Him in an adventure would you be alert enough to His voice to even hear Him?

Maybe He’s getting ready to do something in you or around you or through you that will totally disrupt your life. Will you welcome it? Or will you dismiss it as too risky or inconvenient or impractical? Will you retreat to the comfort of your routine or when your moment comes, will you say “yes” and go with God?

It’s interesting–Noah, Abraham, Moses, the disciples–none of them were looking for a change. They weren’t praying for an adventure. God just disrupted them with one.

So maybe we don’t need to pray for an adventure. Maybe it’s enough to ask God to make us ready to say “yes” to one when our moment comes.