The Lord spoke to Jonah son of Amittai: "Nineveh is a big city. I have heard about the many evil things the people are doing there. So go there and tell them to stop doing such evil things.” But Jonah tried to run away from the Lord. He went to Joppa and found a boat that was going to the faraway city of Tarshish. Jonah paid money for the trip and went on the boat. He wanted to travel with the people on this boat to Tarshish and run away from the Lord. (Jonah 1:1-3)
Have you ever tried to run away from God? If you are anything like Jonah, chances are there have been times when God has asked you to do something you didn't agree with, nor did you actually 'want' to do. It comes as no surprise to God that we would actually 'resist' when things aren't exactly as we thought they should be, or that he has a different plan than what we may have laid out for ourselves. It should also not surprise us that God knows when we will resist because our 'opinion' of the matter is different from his!
Don't lose sight of the fact that God actually chose Jonah - so he knew his heart, understood his bullheadedness, and wasn't put off by his thinking he knew better than God. To be perfectly honest here, there have been times in my own life when I thought I knew better than God, going off in the direction I chose instead of the one he had laid out pretty clearly before me. That never ended well for me! God's plans are sometimes contrary to ours, but when we don't yield to them, we may find ourselves facing way 'bigger' and 'darker' circumstances than we might ever have imagined possible.
I doubt Jonah expected the whale. Nor do I expect he appreciated the not so 'comfortable' situation he found himself in when he resisted God's direction. We cannot expect God to just let us go our own way, rebelling against his will, trying to put distance between his purpose and our determined resistance for very long. Eventually we will realize our misguided plans don't actually land us where we wanted to be. When we do, we need to stop running and actually begin to listen intently to the leading he gives.
Our rebellion took us places we didn't want to go and into experiences we didn't actually enjoy all that much, but God's grace stands ready to restore us once we have had enough of our folly. Just sayin!
A daily study in the Word of God. Simple, life-transforming tools to help you grow in Christ.
Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts
Thursday, June 13, 2024
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
A Dark and Dank Place
A huge storm of emotional upset, physical pain, or even relational conflict - could it be a sign of our disobedience? After boarding the ship to Tarshish, in clear disobedience to what God had asked Jonah to do, there comes a huge storm - rocking and tossing the ship every which way. Amazingly, Jonah is able to sleep deep down in the hull of the ship, almost 'sailing through' the calamity his disobedience seems to be bringing into the lives of the others around him! Have you ever stopped to consider this part of the story of Jonah? As I read this passage today, I had to stop and pause over this one because running away from God is seldom the answer to our problems and it creates problems for others in our lives. The harder and farther we attempt to run, the worse the problems seem to be magnified in our lives. Try as we might, God really cannot be escaped! There is just no hiding place from God!
Then they grilled him: "Confess. Why this disaster? What is your work? Where do you come from? What country? What family?" He told them, "I'm a Hebrew. I worship God, the God of heaven who made sea and land." At that, the men were frightened, really frightened, and said, "What on earth have you done!" As Jonah talked, the sailors realized that he was running away from God. (Jonah 1:8-10)
Look at where we find Jonah - in the depths of the ship. He is not just content to "get away from God", he is in deep hiding - a dark and dank place indeed! This is probably more telling about what really happens when we run from God - we feel the need to "duck and take cover" wherever we think we will not be discovered - even if it is quite a 'dark and dank' place! This has been the pattern observed since the beginning of time. Adam and Eve ducked into the bushes and "made cover" in order to take cover! What comes as a surprise to me is just how comfortable Jonah was in his disobedience! He actually slept through the storm of a lifetime! It is truly a dangerous place to find oneself - so comfortable in our disobedience that we just don't see the effect it has on those around us, much less the effect it has on us! Sometimes we think our disobedience only affects us, but I want to challenge us here a little. Truly, our disobedience has far-reaching effects, sometimes unrealized by us. We may not fully appreciate the impact it has on those God has placed in our lives - our loved ones, our friends, and even those God just brings across our paths for brief periods of time. Jonah did not know these folks on his trip to Tarshish - they were just innocently headed to the next sea port alongside this Hebrew traveler, unaware of the hazards which lay ahead for them. The truth is quite plain - no man is an island unto himself! Sin has an effect on us and others!
Here's the thing I want us to see this morning - Jonah was discovered by those on the journey with him. The moment comes when we will be discovered - the question is really who will do the discovery. Will it be God, personally touching us, and us responding to him in gratitude for his grace and mercy? Or will it be someone God brings across our path, opening our eyes to our "running" and "hiding" from what he has asked of us? Either way works, but I tend to think the first way is a little better! The grace of God cannot allow us to hide forever - God will find a place, a time, and a way to bring the discovery of our "running" to light for us. I know this for a fact in my own life - every time I have "run for cover", the discovery of my hiding place is assured - there is no place too dark or dank God cannot find me out. I also know this - God's grace is sufficient! Whenever we realize we are running from God, the opportunity also exists to run "directly into his open arms" of grace! No sin is too great - no amount of disobedience too far reaching for his arms to encircle us. No shame is too deep - no amount of sin's effect too hard for him to restore! It may be your moment of "discovery" today - the moment your 'dark and dank' place is uncovered. If so, don't turn and run - reach out and be embraced! His grace awaits. Just sayin!
Then they grilled him: "Confess. Why this disaster? What is your work? Where do you come from? What country? What family?" He told them, "I'm a Hebrew. I worship God, the God of heaven who made sea and land." At that, the men were frightened, really frightened, and said, "What on earth have you done!" As Jonah talked, the sailors realized that he was running away from God. (Jonah 1:8-10)
Look at where we find Jonah - in the depths of the ship. He is not just content to "get away from God", he is in deep hiding - a dark and dank place indeed! This is probably more telling about what really happens when we run from God - we feel the need to "duck and take cover" wherever we think we will not be discovered - even if it is quite a 'dark and dank' place! This has been the pattern observed since the beginning of time. Adam and Eve ducked into the bushes and "made cover" in order to take cover! What comes as a surprise to me is just how comfortable Jonah was in his disobedience! He actually slept through the storm of a lifetime! It is truly a dangerous place to find oneself - so comfortable in our disobedience that we just don't see the effect it has on those around us, much less the effect it has on us! Sometimes we think our disobedience only affects us, but I want to challenge us here a little. Truly, our disobedience has far-reaching effects, sometimes unrealized by us. We may not fully appreciate the impact it has on those God has placed in our lives - our loved ones, our friends, and even those God just brings across our paths for brief periods of time. Jonah did not know these folks on his trip to Tarshish - they were just innocently headed to the next sea port alongside this Hebrew traveler, unaware of the hazards which lay ahead for them. The truth is quite plain - no man is an island unto himself! Sin has an effect on us and others!
Here's the thing I want us to see this morning - Jonah was discovered by those on the journey with him. The moment comes when we will be discovered - the question is really who will do the discovery. Will it be God, personally touching us, and us responding to him in gratitude for his grace and mercy? Or will it be someone God brings across our path, opening our eyes to our "running" and "hiding" from what he has asked of us? Either way works, but I tend to think the first way is a little better! The grace of God cannot allow us to hide forever - God will find a place, a time, and a way to bring the discovery of our "running" to light for us. I know this for a fact in my own life - every time I have "run for cover", the discovery of my hiding place is assured - there is no place too dark or dank God cannot find me out. I also know this - God's grace is sufficient! Whenever we realize we are running from God, the opportunity also exists to run "directly into his open arms" of grace! No sin is too great - no amount of disobedience too far reaching for his arms to encircle us. No shame is too deep - no amount of sin's effect too hard for him to restore! It may be your moment of "discovery" today - the moment your 'dark and dank' place is uncovered. If so, don't turn and run - reach out and be embraced! His grace awaits. Just sayin!
Friday, August 5, 2016
Facing a little resistance?
I am sprinting toward the only goal that counts: to cross the line, to win the prize, and to hear God’s call to resurrection life found exclusively in Jesus the Anointed. (Philippians 3:14 VOICE)
Are you are goal-setter? Do you make those lists of all the things you need to accomplish in a day, complete with tiny check-boxes so you can mark them as complete as you get them done? Are you one of those planners, mapping out each phase of your journey for an upcoming trip, almost down to the places you will stop to take restroom breaks? I know the world needs people who will create a vision, map out a plan, and then get people moving in that direction, but honestly only one goal really matters - where it is and with whom we will spend our eternity!
Sprinters will tell you they are running at full-speed when they reach the point of the race where the sprint makes the race, but they cannot sustain that pace forever. They have trained repeatedly to do as well as they do, but eventually their body becomes fatigued by the constant demands placed upon it to sustain that level of activity. They don't sprint the entire race, but pour on the speed, increasing their kick and widening their stride, not right out of the starting block, but nearer the finish line. Why? They see their end goal and they know in order to win the race, they must finish the race!
They run for a prize - but also because the race provides some type of reward along the way. The end of the race, with the crossing of the finish line even a margin ahead of the other runner will be rewarded with a prize of some sort. Yet, as that runner passes milestones in the race - such as the one-quarter mark, then the half-way mark, then the one which tells them it is time to pour it on full-speed ahead - they determine their speed, endurance, and remaining capacity to make it the rest of the way. If they feel good about where they are at the quarter mark, they will continue their pace to the half-way point. If they see they didn't make the goal they had for that point, they might just pick up the pace in the next leg of the race.
For some of us, running the race means we have to push past a whole lot of resistance within our bodies, minds, and heart which just bogs us down. We don't really "feel" the sense of urgency to increase our pace, run with determination, or even to consider the end of the race. We are running lazily along the route laid out ahead of us, but not really with any intensity. It is either because we don't know how to push past the resistance, or our motivation for running the race has somehow "left us".
Resistance can be a good thing when we use it for our benefit. It increases capacity and helps us to expand our capabilities. At other times, it can over-tax us and leave us totally uninterested in taking another step forward. Resistance is simply the opposition afforded when one thing comes in contact with another. If I run into a wall with my shoulder, the wall is likely to resist the movement of my body. It may shake a little, but more than likely my shoulder will begin to announce to the rest of my body that it came upon something which opposed the effort it put forth to attempt to go through it!
If I run into the wall, feel the pain in my shoulder because of the resistance it faced, I will most likely adjust my course. I don't want the pain again - and I learned from the pain that not all resisting forces will be able to be moved by my effort. Sometimes the best course of action is to take a new course of action! At others, the resistance we feel actually builds strength - such as when a tackle on a football team works with those tackling dummies. He repeatedly pounds against them, moving them even ever so slightly. Why? He is building endurance and increasing capacity! It doesn't matter how much we run - it is that we have the capacity to finish the race and to do it with an all-out effort! Just sayin!
Monday, December 24, 2012
The race goes to the winner!
Race: Urgent need, responsibility, or effort as when time is short or a solution is imperative. Usually we think of a race as some contest of speed - the faster someone is, the more likely we are to think they might actually "win" the race. I found this less common definition of "race" this morning and wanted to share it with you because I think it connects some dots for us. You see, we all run. How well run is often determined by our "interpretation" of the need to run! If we have a bear charging at us, intent on making us his supper, we might just run like our life depended on it, right? If we are told by the doctor to get a little more exercise, such as running a mile a day, we might just have a different "interpretation" of the need! The crux of the defining moment is in what we see as the "intensity" of need.
You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. (I Corinthians 9:24-27 MSG)
Our definition captures three key elements I'd like us to consider this morning. There is an appreciation on our part of some need, responsibility, or effort which is required of us. Until we "appreciate" the need, responsibility, or effort required, we don't make the first step. The idea is of coming into a full awareness - to be fully conscious of the first step. The runner has to see the value in the race! To run aimlessly is silly. To run with purpose makes much more sense - since there is either a prize or a destination in mind!
The urgent need:
I described being chased by a bear as a "logical" reason for running as though your life depended on it. I think life is filled with all kinds of "logical" reasons for "running" like our life depended on it. Yet, life is also filled with some "illogical" reasons for "running"! Have you ever watched a scary movie on TV or in the theater and found your heart racing, the tiny hairs on the back of your neck standing on end, and being just about ready to jump out of your seat if someone were to come up behind you and tap you on the shoulder? How "illogical" is it to be afraid of what is "made up" on the TV screen? Most would say the movie was made to elicit some sense of "terror" or "fear" within you. If it did, the movie maker accomplished what they set out to do. But...how illogical is it for us to fear what is "made up"? Most of us would say it is plain silly to be so frightened by that which cannot hurt us! Yet, we walk around everyday with "illogical" thoughts plaguing us with all kinds of "made up" fears! Things like, "You are not good enough", or maybe even "You'll never amount to anything". We have other "illogical" fears which hold us in their grasp - like relationships all end in disaster, so why try? We believe the silliest stuff - just because someone, somewhere, at some time told us it was this way! I think Paul wanted us to focus on the "urgent need" which is really a need in our lives - the thing we need to find a solution to in order to turn the "illogical" into the "logical". We get so wrapped up in "running" after the illogical, we often miss the logical. The logical is the valid - the illogical is the invalid. I wonder what we might accomplish for God if we started running after the logical, avoiding the illogical at every turn?
The responsibility:
We all run, but if it is without intent, we miss out on much in the race. A runner which "engages" in the race takes his responsibility to run seriously. There is "intent" in the running. The greatest part of responsibility is the idea of accountability. A true runner is very accountable - for not only this race, but preparing for the next and the next one after that one. In looking at what Paul describes, I think he might have been focusing us on being "answerable" for how well we run. I don't know about you, but if I give something my half-effort, just barely skimming the surface of what I am capable of giving, I find the "end" a little unfulfilling. Yeah, I made it to the end, but did I give it my best along the way? We have a responsibility to run well - anything less shows we are really not concerned with the answer we will give at the end. I don't know about you, but when I am "answerable" for my actions, I want to be able to "answer well"!
The effort:
We often equate effort to the idea of exertion. We "put out" and then we realize some "return" for what it is we "put out". For example, if we do 20 sit-ups a day for three weeks, we expect to see our waistline decrease in size and our abs to become more toned. If we took our measurements on the day we started and then again at the end of the third week, seeing absolutely no change, we might be a little discouraged! We expected something for the expenditure of our effort (exertion). Really, all God ever asks of us is for us to make every "earnest" effort we can to live according to the plan he has for us. In other words, we see "obedience" as deserving of our "serious attention". For some, this may seem like a bit much, but if we take the effort to make the first step, we find the "effort" becomes less and less as time goes on.
The other thing we see in our definition is the "timeframe" of our running. It is as though the time is short. In considering this point, let me just say, we never really know how short our time may be. If we take for granted the day we are given, we may find ourselves woefully lacking when the next doesn't come! If we begin to "process" today well, we won't find ourselves disappointed by the things we "put off" doing in our yesterdays! Just sayin!
P.S. I just realized this is my post 1,000! Seems hard to believe the challenge of a friend a few years ago has resulted in over 1,000 posts being written! It has been an honor to share my heart and I hope to continue to run well!
You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. (I Corinthians 9:24-27 MSG)
Our definition captures three key elements I'd like us to consider this morning. There is an appreciation on our part of some need, responsibility, or effort which is required of us. Until we "appreciate" the need, responsibility, or effort required, we don't make the first step. The idea is of coming into a full awareness - to be fully conscious of the first step. The runner has to see the value in the race! To run aimlessly is silly. To run with purpose makes much more sense - since there is either a prize or a destination in mind!
The urgent need:
I described being chased by a bear as a "logical" reason for running as though your life depended on it. I think life is filled with all kinds of "logical" reasons for "running" like our life depended on it. Yet, life is also filled with some "illogical" reasons for "running"! Have you ever watched a scary movie on TV or in the theater and found your heart racing, the tiny hairs on the back of your neck standing on end, and being just about ready to jump out of your seat if someone were to come up behind you and tap you on the shoulder? How "illogical" is it to be afraid of what is "made up" on the TV screen? Most would say the movie was made to elicit some sense of "terror" or "fear" within you. If it did, the movie maker accomplished what they set out to do. But...how illogical is it for us to fear what is "made up"? Most of us would say it is plain silly to be so frightened by that which cannot hurt us! Yet, we walk around everyday with "illogical" thoughts plaguing us with all kinds of "made up" fears! Things like, "You are not good enough", or maybe even "You'll never amount to anything". We have other "illogical" fears which hold us in their grasp - like relationships all end in disaster, so why try? We believe the silliest stuff - just because someone, somewhere, at some time told us it was this way! I think Paul wanted us to focus on the "urgent need" which is really a need in our lives - the thing we need to find a solution to in order to turn the "illogical" into the "logical". We get so wrapped up in "running" after the illogical, we often miss the logical. The logical is the valid - the illogical is the invalid. I wonder what we might accomplish for God if we started running after the logical, avoiding the illogical at every turn?
The responsibility:
We all run, but if it is without intent, we miss out on much in the race. A runner which "engages" in the race takes his responsibility to run seriously. There is "intent" in the running. The greatest part of responsibility is the idea of accountability. A true runner is very accountable - for not only this race, but preparing for the next and the next one after that one. In looking at what Paul describes, I think he might have been focusing us on being "answerable" for how well we run. I don't know about you, but if I give something my half-effort, just barely skimming the surface of what I am capable of giving, I find the "end" a little unfulfilling. Yeah, I made it to the end, but did I give it my best along the way? We have a responsibility to run well - anything less shows we are really not concerned with the answer we will give at the end. I don't know about you, but when I am "answerable" for my actions, I want to be able to "answer well"!
The effort:
We often equate effort to the idea of exertion. We "put out" and then we realize some "return" for what it is we "put out". For example, if we do 20 sit-ups a day for three weeks, we expect to see our waistline decrease in size and our abs to become more toned. If we took our measurements on the day we started and then again at the end of the third week, seeing absolutely no change, we might be a little discouraged! We expected something for the expenditure of our effort (exertion). Really, all God ever asks of us is for us to make every "earnest" effort we can to live according to the plan he has for us. In other words, we see "obedience" as deserving of our "serious attention". For some, this may seem like a bit much, but if we take the effort to make the first step, we find the "effort" becomes less and less as time goes on.
The other thing we see in our definition is the "timeframe" of our running. It is as though the time is short. In considering this point, let me just say, we never really know how short our time may be. If we take for granted the day we are given, we may find ourselves woefully lacking when the next doesn't come! If we begin to "process" today well, we won't find ourselves disappointed by the things we "put off" doing in our yesterdays! Just sayin!
P.S. I just realized this is my post 1,000! Seems hard to believe the challenge of a friend a few years ago has resulted in over 1,000 posts being written! It has been an honor to share my heart and I hope to continue to run well!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Running with all ya got!
Did you ever stop to think about what it means to be "spirit-begotten"? I have taken a couple of opportunities to focus on this idea of being "begotten" and just what "family line" has to do with the type of person we are declared to be. Notice I said "declared to be". If we are to be the type of people we are declared to be, we have to stop walking in the old patterns and start walking in the new. For example, if a prisoner is to be set free from a jail cell after 20 years in confinement, he must learn what it like to have freedoms of his own. He doesn't have the same degree of restrictions his bondage kept him in. He has new freedoms which he may pursue - not just think about.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV)
In examining this passage today, I see a call to live a different "type" of life than we did without Christ. In fact, there is a call to live:
- Energetically - "let's run the race". In a physical race, we need energy to keep running, don't we? Energetic is suggestive of possessing vigor, the ability to make an effect. It carries the idea of being active and able to be exerted to the fullest point. Vigor is what gives the runner the intensity, or inner strength to run. When force is exerted against the runner, such as fatigue, the runner possesses a certain ability to press beyond the exertion - putting themselves out there just a little bit more.
- Ordered - "the race that is laid out in front of us". Seldom do you see a runner get up in the morning, don his running shoes, and then just set off in some random direction. In fact, he has an awareness of the course he will take - probably scoping it out in advance and measuring distance, terrain, etc. We run an ordered race - one set out for us in various ways. First, it is set out in the Word of God. The Word defines the course, describes the terrain, and gives us awareness of the obstacles in our path. Second, we have an example of another "runner" to keep us focused on the track ahead - Christ. If his example and his Word are not enough, we have the Holy Spirit as our "coach" to keep us running in an ordered, and consistent manner. It is not a course we define on our own - it is defined by God.
- With perseverance - "run with perseverance". The race requires the willingness to persist. This type of willingness does not come from the mind - it comes from the inner man. Despite the "state" we encounter, there is a stability and determination on the inside which will not be affected by what we see on the outside. There is always opposition in a race, isn't there? There is always some kind of obstacle in the path. No matter the opposition or the obstacle, there is an inner determination which spurs us on. Some call this commitment. I'd like us to consider this to be a choice - to be actively obedient to the calling we possess.
- Focused - "fixing our eyes on Jesus". In a race, energy waxes and wanes. The tugs of the physical man sometimes want to outdo the commitment of the inner spiritual man. Our bodies tire, but our spirit is committed. Why? Simply because of the focus we maintain. The focus of our eye always determines the course of our life.
- Motivated - "the pioneer and perfecter of faith". When we see value in something, there is a motivation to pursue it, isn't there? For example, if you go to the doctor and hear you must lose weight and control your diet because your cholesterol is at an unhealthy level, you are experiencing high blood pressures, and your blood sugars are elevated, you might be more determined than when you simply had to buy a bigger size of slacks. If you couple this with the knowledge of both parents dying at younger ages, you might see by the example and interpret by the warning signs, you need to change! There is a motivation created by the value we place on the example and the signs. We are told to place Christ in front as our example. We are told to explore scripture to interpret the signs. Motivation comes as we keep these two in focus.
- Unencumbered - "let us throw off everything that hinders". There are a lot of things in this life which "weigh us down" in the race, aren't there? We have thoughts which we just cannot seem to break free of. There are choices we make which load guilt and shame upon us. The apathy of the years in which we remained inactive have also slowed us down. The writer tells us to "throw these off" - they hinder, therefore, they are weights. The hardest part of running is in knowing what to leave behind!
The good news is the family into which we have been "begotten". We are "begotten" into a family of "runners". The example before us is Christ. The runners in the race are just like us - complete with the baggage they must lay aside, struggling with getting the "values" right, and learning to commit with their entire being. We don't run alone! We are in a "family" of runners! Isn't that good to know? So, let us run with perseverance the race set out before us, not encumbered by the weights of this world, but focused on the glory set out before us. Run with all ya got! I hope to see you at the finish line right alongside me! Just sayin!
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV)
In examining this passage today, I see a call to live a different "type" of life than we did without Christ. In fact, there is a call to live:
- Energetically - "let's run the race". In a physical race, we need energy to keep running, don't we? Energetic is suggestive of possessing vigor, the ability to make an effect. It carries the idea of being active and able to be exerted to the fullest point. Vigor is what gives the runner the intensity, or inner strength to run. When force is exerted against the runner, such as fatigue, the runner possesses a certain ability to press beyond the exertion - putting themselves out there just a little bit more.
- Ordered - "the race that is laid out in front of us". Seldom do you see a runner get up in the morning, don his running shoes, and then just set off in some random direction. In fact, he has an awareness of the course he will take - probably scoping it out in advance and measuring distance, terrain, etc. We run an ordered race - one set out for us in various ways. First, it is set out in the Word of God. The Word defines the course, describes the terrain, and gives us awareness of the obstacles in our path. Second, we have an example of another "runner" to keep us focused on the track ahead - Christ. If his example and his Word are not enough, we have the Holy Spirit as our "coach" to keep us running in an ordered, and consistent manner. It is not a course we define on our own - it is defined by God.
- With perseverance - "run with perseverance". The race requires the willingness to persist. This type of willingness does not come from the mind - it comes from the inner man. Despite the "state" we encounter, there is a stability and determination on the inside which will not be affected by what we see on the outside. There is always opposition in a race, isn't there? There is always some kind of obstacle in the path. No matter the opposition or the obstacle, there is an inner determination which spurs us on. Some call this commitment. I'd like us to consider this to be a choice - to be actively obedient to the calling we possess.
- Focused - "fixing our eyes on Jesus". In a race, energy waxes and wanes. The tugs of the physical man sometimes want to outdo the commitment of the inner spiritual man. Our bodies tire, but our spirit is committed. Why? Simply because of the focus we maintain. The focus of our eye always determines the course of our life.
- Motivated - "the pioneer and perfecter of faith". When we see value in something, there is a motivation to pursue it, isn't there? For example, if you go to the doctor and hear you must lose weight and control your diet because your cholesterol is at an unhealthy level, you are experiencing high blood pressures, and your blood sugars are elevated, you might be more determined than when you simply had to buy a bigger size of slacks. If you couple this with the knowledge of both parents dying at younger ages, you might see by the example and interpret by the warning signs, you need to change! There is a motivation created by the value we place on the example and the signs. We are told to place Christ in front as our example. We are told to explore scripture to interpret the signs. Motivation comes as we keep these two in focus.
- Unencumbered - "let us throw off everything that hinders". There are a lot of things in this life which "weigh us down" in the race, aren't there? We have thoughts which we just cannot seem to break free of. There are choices we make which load guilt and shame upon us. The apathy of the years in which we remained inactive have also slowed us down. The writer tells us to "throw these off" - they hinder, therefore, they are weights. The hardest part of running is in knowing what to leave behind!
The good news is the family into which we have been "begotten". We are "begotten" into a family of "runners". The example before us is Christ. The runners in the race are just like us - complete with the baggage they must lay aside, struggling with getting the "values" right, and learning to commit with their entire being. We don't run alone! We are in a "family" of runners! Isn't that good to know? So, let us run with perseverance the race set out before us, not encumbered by the weights of this world, but focused on the glory set out before us. Run with all ya got! I hope to see you at the finish line right alongside me! Just sayin!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Running for a cause
I have a friend who is into running - she does marathons - long ones, at that! Goodness, running all those miles and doing it over and over again - it just amazes me what some people have the ability to do when they put their minds to it. Most remarkably, she is a runner with a cause - she runs her marathons in dedication to those children who suffer from leukemia. Now, we could take a lesson from my friend, couldn't we? We could learn to "run" instead of being "sedentary" - and we could learn to do it with a purpose instead of haphazardly!
I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. (Ephesians 4:1-3 The Message)
I believe Paul had this in mind as he pens these words from his prison cell to the Ephesian church - "get out there and run". He begins with the idea of learning to "walk", but quickly turns to the idea of "running". Life is like this - a progression. We are not to remain "in place" too long - if we do, we begin to gather moss!
Look at his instruction closely and you will find some pretty awesome lessons in these three verses. First, he calls attention to the fact we are on a road we have been "called" to travel. Now, I know some of you might want to stop reading at this point, but hear me out. This road might not be the easiest, or the quickest to get us from point A to point B, but it is the one God has "called" us to travel. There is no better place to be on mission with Jesus. As you might imagine, when we are "called" there is some attention which goes into the planning of the journey we are engaged in. Think of waiting for a table at a restaurant. What is the "action" which is going on behind the scenes to ready the table for us? Isn't it the clearing away of debris and the setting out of all we will have need of in order to enjoy our meal? God is this way - when he calls, he clears away the debris which otherwise be in our way and he prepares everything we will need for the journey.
Second, he calls us to action. Too many times we are content to sit around on our hands - thinking we are unable or ill-equipped to run the race. Guess what? We are more equipped than we may ever know! Until we get off our hands, we don't realize just how much God can use them! Picture yourself sitting on your hands - or even try it right now. What happens when you are sitting on your hands? Well, you don't have freedom of movement, do you? You are restricted. You also don't have the ability to "balance" yourself too well. Let someone come over to you right now while you are sitting on your hands and see just how well you can resist the push they exert. Your first tendency is to remove your hands and steady yourself! Hands are meant for action - when they are restricted in their activity, they are not being used as they were designed. God has designed you with a purpose - let him use you as he designed!
Third, our walk is not a leisurely stroll. When you go out on an evening walk, with no destination in mind, just to get a little "stroll" in before you retire for the evening, what is your frame of mind? It might be to take in a little fresh air, enjoy some birds singing in the trees somewhere, or even to just kick a few stones along the path. You really aren't going from point A to point B, are you? You are "strolling" - a form of wandering. Paul's warning to us is to run, not stroll! When you run - there is a purpose. When you stroll - you roam - and it may not be in the right direction!
Fourth, we are to avoid the fits and starts. Lest I meddle just way too much, I will simply confess my own faults here. Whenever I set out on a certain action, I have two choices - see it through to completion, or give up along the way. Too many times I have chose the latter. I get started very well, but end up quitting just short of the goal. Ugh! How do we get to a place of being consistent in our walk? Well, for me, it is in beginning again! I might quit, but in beginning again, I am off to a whole new start. The same is true for you - beginning again is a place of new beginnings. This is the idea of the old being behind us and the new being before us. So, regardless of how many times I quit - the "starting again" is paramount to making me into a steady and consistent runner!
Last, but definitely not least, Paul points out the importance of how we run. We are to do it with humility and love. In fact, he is quick to tell us of the need for forgiveness along the path we run! We are to be quick to mend fences - why? I think it is because we do our best running when we are in the race with others! We need others to spur us on to complete the race. Maybe this is why my friend runs marathons - because she doesn't do it alone! There are others "pacing" her through to completion!
You may not be running literal marathons, but you are running the race of your life. No matter how you start - walking, running a little and walking a little, or at a full-out jog - START. For some, START AGAIN! Your only fulfilled when engaged in the mission to which you are called - so start running! You are not running "just because" - you are running for a "cause"!
For those who might like to follow Julie's page (my runner friend) in her runs for Lincoln, please see her page at http://www.facebook.com/RunningForLincoln .
I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. (Ephesians 4:1-3 The Message)
I believe Paul had this in mind as he pens these words from his prison cell to the Ephesian church - "get out there and run". He begins with the idea of learning to "walk", but quickly turns to the idea of "running". Life is like this - a progression. We are not to remain "in place" too long - if we do, we begin to gather moss!
Look at his instruction closely and you will find some pretty awesome lessons in these three verses. First, he calls attention to the fact we are on a road we have been "called" to travel. Now, I know some of you might want to stop reading at this point, but hear me out. This road might not be the easiest, or the quickest to get us from point A to point B, but it is the one God has "called" us to travel. There is no better place to be on mission with Jesus. As you might imagine, when we are "called" there is some attention which goes into the planning of the journey we are engaged in. Think of waiting for a table at a restaurant. What is the "action" which is going on behind the scenes to ready the table for us? Isn't it the clearing away of debris and the setting out of all we will have need of in order to enjoy our meal? God is this way - when he calls, he clears away the debris which otherwise be in our way and he prepares everything we will need for the journey.
Second, he calls us to action. Too many times we are content to sit around on our hands - thinking we are unable or ill-equipped to run the race. Guess what? We are more equipped than we may ever know! Until we get off our hands, we don't realize just how much God can use them! Picture yourself sitting on your hands - or even try it right now. What happens when you are sitting on your hands? Well, you don't have freedom of movement, do you? You are restricted. You also don't have the ability to "balance" yourself too well. Let someone come over to you right now while you are sitting on your hands and see just how well you can resist the push they exert. Your first tendency is to remove your hands and steady yourself! Hands are meant for action - when they are restricted in their activity, they are not being used as they were designed. God has designed you with a purpose - let him use you as he designed!
Third, our walk is not a leisurely stroll. When you go out on an evening walk, with no destination in mind, just to get a little "stroll" in before you retire for the evening, what is your frame of mind? It might be to take in a little fresh air, enjoy some birds singing in the trees somewhere, or even to just kick a few stones along the path. You really aren't going from point A to point B, are you? You are "strolling" - a form of wandering. Paul's warning to us is to run, not stroll! When you run - there is a purpose. When you stroll - you roam - and it may not be in the right direction!
Fourth, we are to avoid the fits and starts. Lest I meddle just way too much, I will simply confess my own faults here. Whenever I set out on a certain action, I have two choices - see it through to completion, or give up along the way. Too many times I have chose the latter. I get started very well, but end up quitting just short of the goal. Ugh! How do we get to a place of being consistent in our walk? Well, for me, it is in beginning again! I might quit, but in beginning again, I am off to a whole new start. The same is true for you - beginning again is a place of new beginnings. This is the idea of the old being behind us and the new being before us. So, regardless of how many times I quit - the "starting again" is paramount to making me into a steady and consistent runner!
Last, but definitely not least, Paul points out the importance of how we run. We are to do it with humility and love. In fact, he is quick to tell us of the need for forgiveness along the path we run! We are to be quick to mend fences - why? I think it is because we do our best running when we are in the race with others! We need others to spur us on to complete the race. Maybe this is why my friend runs marathons - because she doesn't do it alone! There are others "pacing" her through to completion!
You may not be running literal marathons, but you are running the race of your life. No matter how you start - walking, running a little and walking a little, or at a full-out jog - START. For some, START AGAIN! Your only fulfilled when engaged in the mission to which you are called - so start running! You are not running "just because" - you are running for a "cause"!
For those who might like to follow Julie's page (my runner friend) in her runs for Lincoln, please see her page at http://www.facebook.com/RunningForLincoln .
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