Ok, back to the race! Yesterday I shared one of the things I learned about our life journey from reading Hebrews 12:1-2. Today I want to share another piece of this puzzle with you. The second question I always ask when I'm about to run a race is, "what is the terrain?" I need to know if the race is on the road or on grass. I need to know if the race is downhill or uphill or both (and how much of both). Also, I like to know the race course before I set out...only because I don't want to take a detour and end up in the wrong place. All of these things help me in my preparation to run. The answers also help me gague how much energy I need for each part of the race...and make sure I stay on the course.
This is where Hebrews is so helpful to us. The writer says, "lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us, and run with endurance." The terrain of this life journey is tricky. There are detours all around us that we could take. There are different paths calling out to us and begging for our attention. And it’s hard to continue straight, especially when we start running up hill or through a tough spot in the race.
We can’t run very well with stuff weighing us down. And we can’t run when we keep getting distracted by sin. So I have a question for you today...what is holding you back from running with endurance? Is there a sin in your life that is distracting you? Are you finding yourself spending more time on detours than on the race itself? Whatever it is...if you want to run this race and be successful, you’ve got to toss it! Get it as far away from you as possible. Find someone on this journey with you to hold you accountable for stopping it.
Don’t get distracted. The road is not easy as it is, and if you have stuff weighing you down....it get’s even tougher to finish well and live out the purpose that God already has planned for you. It's a long race, and it's a tough race...but tomorrow we'll talk about the destination and you'll see that guarding your heart and mind against the sin and distractions that so easily entangle us is totally worth the finish line!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Friday, September 7, 2007
Amazing Race
Our student ministry just started a new message series entitled "Reality Check". We're looking at different reality TV shows, comparing their message with the message we get from Scripture and redefining reality based on God's truth. I love this series because it is so applicable to our lives and consitent with the culture in which we live.
Last week we looked at the show "Amazing Race". As I thought on the topic, I couldn't help but wonder what we are running so hard after. I'm what you might call a "gamer". I'm always looking for some way to be competitive. 10 years ago, as my soccer career ended, I took up running. It was just the outlet I needed to clear my head, get some exercise and renew myself. What I discovered, though, was that there was this community of people all over the world who loved to run...and not only that, they loved to RACE!!! I love to race. Even as a little kid on the way to the bus stop all someone had to ask was "race ya?" and I'd take off running for the corner. And racing is still a huge part of who I am. Every year I run at least 10 road races, varying in distances from a 5K to a half marathon. (I'm still too chicken to train for the full marathon, even though I tell most people that I just don't have the time necessary.)
One thing I do know about myself, though is that before I run a race there are a few questions that I need answered. First, how far is it? Second, What is the terrain? Third, What is the destination? I was pondering these questions about the race of life as I sat reading Hebrews 12:1-2. What I found is that this passage answers all of these questions. First, Paul says that we must run the race set before us with endurance. Although he doesn't come right out and say how far the race is, the word endurance tells me a lot. Being an avid runner, I know the difference between an endurance race and a sprint. And many times I've found myself taking off in the beginning of one of these endurance races like it was only 400 yards long and practically passing out midway through the race because I had exhausted myself.
Our Spiritual journeys are the same way. If we take off like it's a sprint, we will find ourselves totally exhausted, unable to finish well. We need to slow ourselves down! We need to take time to rest. We need to spend time with the LORD, letting Him pour into us. If we don't, and I know this from first hand experience, we'll get worn out. We'll get depressed. God becomes harder and harder to see and we wonder why we are running at all. In an endurance race, you don't sprint, and you take water stops along the way...just to refuel and recharge. Our lives need these moments of refueling as well. So, slow down...take your time...life with Christ is a marathon, not a sprint...
Tomorrow I'll talk about the other things I learned about our race while looking at Hebrews...
Last week we looked at the show "Amazing Race". As I thought on the topic, I couldn't help but wonder what we are running so hard after. I'm what you might call a "gamer". I'm always looking for some way to be competitive. 10 years ago, as my soccer career ended, I took up running. It was just the outlet I needed to clear my head, get some exercise and renew myself. What I discovered, though, was that there was this community of people all over the world who loved to run...and not only that, they loved to RACE!!! I love to race. Even as a little kid on the way to the bus stop all someone had to ask was "race ya?" and I'd take off running for the corner. And racing is still a huge part of who I am. Every year I run at least 10 road races, varying in distances from a 5K to a half marathon. (I'm still too chicken to train for the full marathon, even though I tell most people that I just don't have the time necessary.)
One thing I do know about myself, though is that before I run a race there are a few questions that I need answered. First, how far is it? Second, What is the terrain? Third, What is the destination? I was pondering these questions about the race of life as I sat reading Hebrews 12:1-2. What I found is that this passage answers all of these questions. First, Paul says that we must run the race set before us with endurance. Although he doesn't come right out and say how far the race is, the word endurance tells me a lot. Being an avid runner, I know the difference between an endurance race and a sprint. And many times I've found myself taking off in the beginning of one of these endurance races like it was only 400 yards long and practically passing out midway through the race because I had exhausted myself.
Our Spiritual journeys are the same way. If we take off like it's a sprint, we will find ourselves totally exhausted, unable to finish well. We need to slow ourselves down! We need to take time to rest. We need to spend time with the LORD, letting Him pour into us. If we don't, and I know this from first hand experience, we'll get worn out. We'll get depressed. God becomes harder and harder to see and we wonder why we are running at all. In an endurance race, you don't sprint, and you take water stops along the way...just to refuel and recharge. Our lives need these moments of refueling as well. So, slow down...take your time...life with Christ is a marathon, not a sprint...
Tomorrow I'll talk about the other things I learned about our race while looking at Hebrews...
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