In an article I recently read concerning whether or not beginner and/or advanced runners should hire coaches, the author drew attention to several interesting points.

1. “Some coaching programs involve personalized coaching, but more and more combine personal or group coaching with online coaching… That may or may not matter to you, but be sure you know what you are getting… Credentialed coaches are taught about injury prevention, nutrition, hydration, safe training practices and proper training/racing equipment, as well as how many hours a week you should be training.”
2. “…be clear on how often you will communicate with your coach and what the method of communication will be. Sadly, the biggest complaint I hear about some of the best coaches in the world is that they are unreliable with communication or don’t get your schedules to you on time. You need to be reasonable about your expectations, but I find it easier to coach an athlete if we have fairly regular communication.”
3. “Once you decide who will do your coaching, you need to trust your coach and stick with their plan. This is huge. I can’t tell you how many times an athlete will start with a coach, only to read an article or hear about what a fellow athlete is doing for training and start modifying the training plan sent by their coach to incorporate other training. Don’t add workouts, speed up the pace of your run or do any other crazy workouts you read about if they are not in your training plan. If you are tired, sore, or unable to keep the pace your coach is recommending it is your responsibility to tell the coach, and the sooner the better. But if the coach says take a day off, take it. If he or she tells you to slow down on your long runs, trust him/her. Pay your coach on time. And most of all, if you don’t stick with the plan, you are not allowed to be disappointed with the result!”
4. ‘Self-Coaching: If you chose this route and you are new to marathoning, I hope are at least going to read a couple of books or subscribe to some running publications. The only trouble with this self-taught method is that there is so much conflicting advice out there! How do you figure out what is best for you? You are going to need to do some of the things a good coach would be doing for you.”

In reading this, my mind of course was making comparisons to our spiritual journey as believers. But before I get to those comparisons – a few thoughts from scripture concerning the “environment” and “society” of the Christian life.

In Jeremiah 17 we are warned concerning the deceitfulness of our hearts. In Romans 12, Paul reminds us that “as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

Some takeaway points from these and other scriptures: First, we should note that a significant premise for our need for involvement in Christian community is our inability to see our own hearts with clarity. I think it was Piper who said “The mind bends reality to justify it’s desires.” (my dad quotes it so often that I’m not quite sure who said it anymore!)

The deceitfulness of our human nature should drive us to the realization (and, in fact, the scriptural instruction) that we are all called to be a part of a doctrinally sound, gospel-centered, Christ-seeking, local church; who will keep us accountable in the process and progress of our sanctification and passion for the Savior. The Christian walk, as I’ve mentioned before, is no solo flight. We desperately need other people to help us see our hearts.

We also read that although we are “many members”, we “do not all have the same function”. God has gifted different individuals in unique ways; mirroring the creativity and intricacy of his character and creation. We need others, then, to jointly create a more complete mirror of who God is – and to learn from one another as we grow in grace and becoming more like Christ.

Psalm 73:24 states that the Lord “guide[s us] with [his] counsel, and afterward…will take [us] into glory,” and yet – not only does he accomplish this through his word; he chooses to do this through fellow believers; leaders and teachers/preachers; as well as friends and family (particularly one’s parents and spouse).

[note: I am compelled to say something here to honor the church leadership and lifestyle of Sovereign Grace; the network of churches in which I have had the privilege to be “born, bred, and fed” for all 20 years of my life J - the emphasis on humility, transparency, and regular accountability and fellowship is one I have yet to see matched (sadly) by most Christian/bible-believing churches… oftentimes, the concept of confession of sins and prayer/accountability/fellowship come as a shock to incoming believers used to the “me and God” type of faith; where they restrict their sanctification to personal time in the Word and Sunday teaching…I have been so incredibly, inexpressibly blessed to have received the care and counsel of many wise and mature Christians for many years – faithfully investing in my life and attending to my soul for the purpose of seeing God glorified… this is not something I take for granted. I would not be who I am today were it not for the grace of God ministered not only through a personal relationship with him, but through the input of other believers! Thank you, C.J., Josh, and the pastoral team at CLC and throughout Sovereign Grace Ministries – for modeling this and instilling it in your “flock” for many, many years. The Lord will richly bless you for it, as he has us – through it…]

So – a recap on that. Our hearts are deceitful. God calls us to community. He uses others to shape us into his likeness; assisting us in seeing our sin and encouraging and exhorting us to change and growth in Christ!

Okay- now back to that illustration.

1. “Personal vs. Online coaching”:

Application: it’s become the norm, sadly, for many Christians to walk independently from the counsel of fellow believers and pastors/teachers – seeking advice from magazines, self-help books, online resources, and radio talk shows. They sign up for “life coaches” and “spiritual guidance counseling”; neglecting the immediately and appropriately available means of grace provided in their family, friends, and church community. Churches are not so much about “building” with one another in the “body” of Christ towards the coming of the kingdom of God; they have become a once-a-week resource for “booster shots” of spirituality; a sort of “spoonful of grace” tonic guaranteed to get you through another week of work, school, life… Friends, we need the counsel and teaching and regular input and accountability of individuals in our church community. Knowing the people God has provided for you to learn from, be they a mentor, your spouse, a friend… this is vital to our spiritual growth and the building of God’s Universal Church. I’m not negating the fact that many, many wonderful resources exist for us to draw upon (literature, podcasts, blogs , etc.) – I just want to highlight God’s emphasis upon our own community; fellow believers – as the primary tool by which His will and work is brought forth in our lives. [It is especially important to seek the wisdom of “credentialed coaches”; those leaders in the church who have been called by God to shepherd his people. They have been “taught” concerning “injury prevention, nutrition, hydration, safe training practices…” for our souls!]

1. (sorry for that long one! I got carried away…)

Communication:

We should all know by now how significant communication is. From the time you were an itsy bitsy whatever-you-are learning the important differences between “no” and “yes”, “hot” and “cold”, “yankees” and “red sox” – to the adolescent years when you begin to realize that during the Babel episode God must have confused the languages of men and women as well as tribes and nations – communication, or should I say, effective communication – is key to peace, happiness, and the all-around co-existence and efficiency of mankind. It’s so easy for us to blame our sin on others in this area, isn’t it? It’s as if we expect people to develop telepathic abilities. They should know what we want, when we want it, and just what to say when we are in need of advice/ counsel/encouragement. But without effective communication on OUR part – transparency; confession of sin, openness, clarity, pursuit of counsel – we cannot expect to receive all that God has for us through the wisdom of our “coaches and counselors”. It takes affirmative action (“seeking after wisdom”, as Proverbs calls it) and humility to get the input we need to “run faster” and more efficiently. Don’t expect a “return” if you won’t invest the time.

1. Trust:

If you place your hope in human effort, it’s true that you’re bound to come out disappointed. But God has called us to trust him in a unique way through the transparency mentioned in #2 – obviously, you want to know who you are trusting (don’t approach a random individual on the street wearing a “Jesus is my Homeboy” t-shirt and begin to confess your sin and temptation to them!) and it takes discernment to know what to share with whom (for instance, it’s best to keep the confession of personal spiritual battles and temptation gender-specific… guys shouldn’t be confessing lust even to godly women of their acquaintance!) but we cannot expect perfection in the people we have fellowship with. (Hey, if they thought that way, they probably wouldn’t talk to you, either!) We need to trust that God uses even the “defects” in others to make us more like him! It takes much greater humility to hear an observation or concern from someone who’s a sinner like you than someone who has it all “down pat”. And – once you’ve sought the Lord and seen who he is calling you to share life with – you have to trust that he will use them, and seek the “unity” called for in the body of Christ by both “being invested in” and “investing back”… it’s a two-way relationship and it’s motivated by real love… which cares for the soul and sanctification of a fellow believer more than their opinion of you or the “comfort” and “ease” of the relationship. (phew! That was one long sentence!) Basically, haphazard transparency isn’t the best idea, but God will direct us to certain people (specifically Christian parents, mentors, pastors, teachers, fellow small-group members, family…) that will need to know us as we really are in order to effectively “coach and counsel” us in the long run. (no pun intended! honest! )

1. Self-Coaching:

Not recommended! Just as the author of the running article stated, the “trouble with this self-taught method is that there is so much conflicting advice out there!” – and that’s only one downfall! This “method” of the Christian walk may seem the “easiest”, but it only leads to discouragement, confusion, and oftentimes to “static” Christianity; or “complacency”. If you believe what the Bible teaches concerning our lack of ability to see our sin clearly, you won’t get far by approaching your sanctification in this way. I recently made the decision not to attend college full-time. This decision was based upon many different things, but one of them concerned how my time was being consumed by school – leaving me with little opportunity to interact with my “caregroup” and family, friends, leaders in the church… the less I was home or involved in settings with these dear “means of grace” (the term I have been using is most definitely a Sovereign Grace-ism… sorry!) the more sanctified I thought I was! With few people to point out my sin or exhort me to godliness, I became increasingly convinced that I really didn’t have a lot to work on… which made me uneasy. I do know my heart well enough by now to “rest assured” that when I’m “resting assured” there’s a lot below the surface that is going to be revealed – and soon. Sure enough, after finals were over and I went back to being at home more and interacting with those individuals, a whole category of doctrinal confusion was revealed which had begun fueling a hardness of heart in relation to quick conviction/repentance and humility/teachability with others. I’m so grateful to be back in those contexts now, where I can be daily “observed” and have opportunities to “seek wisdom while it may be found”.

I’m hoping this post is clear. I doubt it is… I prefer to pray over and consider this for an extended period of time when I can, but it has been so long since my last post that I managed to throw this together on coffee breaks at work today (I don’t drink coffee, so they are “blog breaks” for me!… although that in fact sounds like some nasty and extremely healthy energy drink…) and can only hope it contains nothing heretical or inherently contradictory! (Of course, in accordance with what I’ve been promoting in this post… if you have observations, questions, or concerns, always let me know!)

Pursue holiness and wisdom, counsel, and insight. Look for the “Coaches and Counselors” God has so graciously provided in your life, and make good use of that “resource”!

Resting in undeserved grace,

-Jen

In the previous post, I quoted the following:

“Lord, help me to gird up the loins of my mind, and may I press forward towards the mark for the prize of my high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

In thinking over what the Lord would have me address (in my once monthly post… !) I felt particularly burdened to consider how “girding the loins of our minds” relates to what we “take in” as runners in this race.

Everyone knows “you are what you eat”, right? You live on hamburgers, fries, dumplings and lard, you won’t get past your 30th birthday.

And you try to run after eating that type of stuff, you won’t get far. What you consume will directly effect your progress in this race.

I returned to an “old friend” (books are friends ) to help me reconsider the issue of media and entertainment – a book I would readily recommend, entitled “Worldly Amusements” by Wayne A. Wilson. Subtitled, effectively: “restoring the Lordship of Christ to our entertainment choices”…

Wilson classifies “worldly amusements” (those not glorifying to God) into two categories:
1. those amusements which promote an evil message (presenting it as good)
anything which justifies and/or celebrates lying, fornication, adultery… etc.

2. those amusements which use evil methods
those things which justify the means by the message… and force us to wade through a sea
of corruption to identify it as such.

1 John 2:15-17 tell us:

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

Christian culture has digressed miserably from a clear and consistent application of this verse. A shifting standard has not only compromised our culture, but the Christian worldview.

Although the majority of Christians would readily condemn the “obvious” sins, such as illicit sexual practices, illegal drugs, pornography, strip clubs, and drunkenness, the growing “visibility” of these sins in the world at large makes some things comparatively minor.

Wilson states that “The casual acceptance of immorality is one way we try to widen God’s narrow way.”

Christian standards decline because we measure ourselves next to the worst, which is persistently digressive! Measuring ourselves against the bottom, which grows lower by the day, allows us to assume that

“as long as we are above the most degenerate evils, we feel holy. But if we could look back, we would see that we have fallen, in our moral lives, below the level of many unbelievers when the common culture was governed by a Christian ethic. This is wrong. We need to look up.”

Yet of ALL people, we, as God’s chosen children, governed by biblical standard, should be consistent and clear – God’s standard – a universal decency in modesty, speech, and thought life – should set us apart from the moral degeneracy of our culture.

Romans 16:19 encourages us, in obedience to “be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil”, and Phil 4:8, to think upon whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy…

The problem of increasing hardness of conscience to immorality/worldliness and sin in the Christian community is not a new one. Second century theologian Tertullian states the following:

“But if we ought to abominate all that is immodest, on what ground is it right to hear what we must not speak? For all licentiousness of speech, nay, every idle word, is condemned by God. Why, in the same way, is it right to look on what it is disgraceful to do? How is it that the things which defile a man going out of his mouth are not regarded as doing so when they go in at his eyes and ears – when eyes and ears are the immediate attendants on the spirit…”
Is not the increasing lack of sensitivity the result of increasing exposure? Isn’t it true that just as the immune system, when exposed to regular, small doses of antigen, will eventually build up immunity to that disease, our souls, when regularly exposed to small doses of things which offend the very nature of our God and Father, will become desensitized to their nulling effect on our conscience and in turn upon our lives?

Entertainment is meant for relaxation. But worldly entertainment (see earlier definition) is the environment in which we should be MORE on guard… if this is true, and “we must be so cautious in the midst of… evil, why are we there in the first place?”

Wilson provides four possible courses of action in response to these thoughts. Avoidance, Silence, Engagement, and High Standards. In order to read up on all of them, you’ll have to get the book yourself

I’d like to focus in on a few points he makes in the last two categories which struck me.

In response to the idea of complete freedom (engagement) Wilson states some common objections.

“1. It’s against the Bible… the apostle Paul’s moral doctrine says, ‘it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret’ (eph 5:12) If it is shameful to discuss the details of depravity, how much more offensive to decency must it be to pay people to act out such ‘details’ for our amusement! No matter how sophisticated one wishes to be, the Scripture is still the authority. The Christian’s moral conscience owes it’s allegiance to God’s Word, not to its own flawed moral compass. The Scripture must inform our choices and tastes.

2. It is against the law of love. This view demonstrates a profound lack of consideration for the spiritual well being of the performers in these immoral films. The violation of their modesty alone should make Christians recoil at participation in such amusements. It is impossible to imagine Jesus giving approval for the use of actors in this way.

3. It denies the power of art. This view would claim to have the most respect for the arts, but in truth, it suggests that the immoral content of these films has no effect on the soul. The belief that such displays of sensual corruption for entertainment do not harm the soul directly opposes the teaching of the church from the beginning to the present time. The idea that such entertainment is acceptable is entirely new, and yet the fruit of this new idea has not been increased purity – not by any measure. It has not furthered the cause of Christ for Christians to have shared in worldly and carnal knowledge through film.”

The second perspective I would like to draw on which Wilson details is that of High Standards.

In favor of this view, Wilson lists the following.

“1. It avoids legalism. The legalist seeks to go beyond Scripture. The high standards view seeks to apply Scripture accurately, without adding to it or detracting from it.

2. It gives art its due. The high standards view recognizes art’s power, both for good and evil. It does not condemn cinema as an inherently irredeemable art form but recognizes the potential danger of its powerful effect on our souls.

3. This view honors the performers… it is typical of our age that we don’t consider how we use other people to satisfy our lusts or our moral laziness. We just don’t care enough.

4. It honors the Word of God. Scripture does speak to these issues. We do have a responsibility for what we put before our eyes, feed into our hearts, and spend God’s money on.”

In addition to this, I would submit that this perspective – that of high standards, promotes application of Jeremiah 17:9, and draws in the validity of our need for the conviction of the Holy Spirit as well as community and fellowship. We cannot trust our own perspective of what is good and beneficial for us. As we are told – not all that is permissible is beneficial. This viewpoint recognizes our dependence on the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the need for the Word, and the need for others to help guide us in our choices concerning what we hear, see, and meditate upon (as in reading, thinking, etc.).

Let us, as Christians, hold to a higher, purer standard of behavior, thought, and speech; one which does not deny the fact that we have been “set apart for himself”. One which clearly, boldly states that Christ is Lord – over all. That he is enough to satisfy us in the absence of worldly amusement, and that he has provided enough resources, in His sovereign wisdom, for us to honestly, openly evaluate and appreciate, with wisdom and discernment, all that he has provided in the entertainment of this time.

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
-Philippians 1:9-11

From Spurgeon:

 

“Running is not everything, there is much in the way which we select: a swift foot over hill and down dale will not keep pace with a slower traveller upon level ground.

How is it with my spiritual journey, am I labouring up the hill of my own works and down into the ravines of my own humiliations and resolutions, or do I run by the plain way of “Believe and live”?

How blessed is it to wait upon the Lord by faith! ‘

The soul runs without weariness, and walks without fainting, in the way of believing.

Christ Jesus is the way of life, and he is a plain way, a pleasant way, a way suitable for the tottering feet and feeble knees of trembling sinners: am I found in this way, or am I hunting after another track such as priestcraft or metaphysics may promise me?

I read of the way of holiness, that the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein: have I been delivered from proud reason and been brought as a little child to rest in Jesus’ love and blood? If so, by God’s grace I shall outrun the strongest runner who chooses any other path.

This truth I may remember to my profit in my daily cares and needs. It will be my wisest course to go at once to my God, and not to wander in a roundabout manner to this friend and that. He knows my wants and can relieve them, to whom should I repair but to himself by the direct appeal of prayer, and the plain argument of the promise. “Straightforward makes the best runner.” I will not parlay with the servants, but hasten to their master.

…Lord, help me to gird up the loins of my mind, and may I press forward towards the mark for the prize of my high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

AMEN!

Heaven is the prize – our rest after a long, hard race.

But our first and most inspirational reason for running this race is God’s call on our lives. And the hope of our inheritance is based upon his promise.

Romans 8:28 is a verse oft-quoted – very well known among Christian communities of various denominations. A common encouragement found on the lips of counselors and teachers, parents and friends: “Don’t worry. Remember, ‘we know that God works all things for the good of those who love him.”

Although the heart here is good – to encourage and give hope to those facing suffering and trial, sorrow and pain – I think two adjustments must be made to this type of counsel. Both have to do with misinterpretation and misuse.

First, this verse is not only often used, but misquoted. We hear “God works all things for the good of those who love him” rather than “IN all things, God works for the good…” etc. This is an important distinction, the implications of which are seen in the other, even more common misuse of the verse…

A fundamental principle of Scripture comes into play here – in order to effectively understand God’s will for our lives, we do not take bits and pieces of the Word and apply them – we use the principle of “systematic theology” – according to Grudem, systematic theology is any study that answers the question, `What does the whole Bible teach us today?’ about any given topic

So many people (myself included) tend to think, when facing difficulty, “well, one day, maybe soon (or maybe in heaven), I’ll be able to look back and see that this situation, as bad as it may seem, eventually worked out okay… so I can bear this burden for a time and keep pressing on – knowing it’ll all be fine, since God promises to work it all out for my good.”

What is wrong with this mentality? Well, first off, as previously mentioned – God is not only working the situation for my good, but IN the situation for my good.

How is that possible, and what does it imply? Again, a fundamental truth of scripture applies.

What was I made for?
To bring God glory and enjoy him forever.

Hmmm – okay, and now, as Christians – we know that in order to accomplish this purpose, God has placed us in each situation because THAT is where we can BEST enjoy and glorify him.

[note: this is a helpful reminder... saying to yourself “if God wanted me somewhere else, he would have me there. Since he does not, I can assume that he has placed me where I can best glorify him and find joy in doing so. Let me not miss this opportunity by desiring what my Father does not want for me!”]

Back to Romans 8:28. If you want to accurately grasp what the verse is saying, read the whole passage, or the whole bible, of course – but even reading JUST the beginning of the next verse can radically alter your perspective:

“And we know that IN all things, God works for the good of those who love him, and who have been called according to HIS purpose. For those God foreknew, he also predestined TO BE CONFORMED TO THE LIKENESS OF HIS SON.”

HEREIN lies the life-changing truth. Our GREATEST good and hope do NOT lie in peace and joy found at the END of a difficult road, but actually UPON it – because our goal is not satisfaction and contentment in looking BACK, but in being conformed to the likeness of Christ in the MIDST of trial!

Trials are NOT detours from God’s plan, nor even the devil’s tool to lure us into grief and despair. Yes, those are temptations – but trials are God’s tools to bring about our greatest good – they are a PART of the very same road!

To see God is the promised goal of all our actions and the promised height of all our joys. AUGUSTINE

“Fiery trials make golden Christians“
C.H. Spurgeon

James 1:2-4 makes SO much more sense when we contemplate it in light of the truth of Romans 8:28-29.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish it’s work so that you may be mature and complete – not lacking in anything!”

I have never been so grateful for my Savior, for the assurance of my salvation, for my knowledge of God as my loving and sovereign Father, than when I am in trial!

Truth is never more precious, grace is never more beautiful, peace never passes understanding to such a degree, as when I am crying out to God for help in time of need!

There IS pure joy there! Because trial is accomplishing my greatest good and JOY – being refined and made more like my wonderful Savior!

Sinclair Furgeson states that “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves“, and Spurgeon states that “Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of; they just turn up some of the ill weeds on to the surface.”

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” – Romans 5:1-5

Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
however dark it be!
Lead me by Thine own hand,
choose out the path for me.

Smooth let it be or rough,
it still will be the best;
winding, or straight, it leads
right onward to Thy rest.

I dare not choose my lot;
I would not if I might;
choose Thou for me, my God
so I shall walk aright.

The kingdom that I seek
is Thine, so let the way
that leads to it be Thine,
else I must surely stray.

Take Thou my cup and it
with joy or sorrow fill
as best to Thee may seem;
choose Thou my good and ill.

Choose Thou for me my friends
my sickness or my health;
choose Thou my cares for me,
my poverty or wealth.

Subdue my heart’s affections
accord it with Thy will
let truth inform and guide
my every step until

Not mine, not mine the choice,
in things so great or small;
be Thou my Guide, my Strength,
my Wisdom, and my All.

King and Friend, my Savior,
good, when all else fails,
Thy blood, a ransom for me,
demands

truest obedience,
unswerving trust,
boundless love,
persistent faith,
and a life
that mirrors Thy endless grace
with purpose,
hope,
and joy.

So keep running! It takes the falls, breaks, sore muscles, sprains and bruises to make us appreciate the refreshing nourishment of the Word, and to develop the strength to finish well.

The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer
from chapter 1: Following hard after God

My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
Ps. 63:8

“Christian theology teaches the doctrine of prevenient grace, which briefly stated means this, that before a man can seek God, God must first have sought the man. Before a sinful man can think a right thought of God, there must have been a work of enlightenment done within him; imperfect it may be, but a true work nonetheless, and the secret cause of all desiring and seeking and praying which may follow.

We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit. `No man can come to me,’ said our Lord, `except by the Father which hath sent me to draw him,’ and it is by this very prevenient drawing that God takes from us every vestige of credit for the act of coming. The impulse to pursue God originates with God, but the outworking of that impulse is our following hard after Him; and all the time we are pursuing Him we are already in His hand: `Thy right hand upholdeth me.’ In this divine `upholding’ and human `following’ there is no contradiction. All is of God, for as von Hugel teaches, God is always previous.

In practice, however, (that is, where God’s previous working meets man’s present response) man must pursue God. … In the warm language of personal feeling this is stated in the Forty-second Psalm: `As the deer panteth after the waterbrooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?’ This is deep calling unto deep, and the longing heart will understand it.

…

You and I are in little (our sins excepted) what God is in large. Being made in His image we have within us the capacity to know Him. In our sins we lack only the power. The moment the Spirit has quickened us to life in regeneration our whole being senses its kinship to God and leaps up in joyous recognition. That is the heavenly birth without which we cannot see the Kingdom of God. It is, however, not an end but an inception, for now begins the glorious pursuit, the heart’s happy exploration of the infinite riches of the Godhead. That is where we begin, I say, but where we stop no man has yet discovered, for there is in the awful and mysterious depths of the Triune God neither limit nor end.

Shoreless Ocean, who can sound Thee?
Thine own eternity is round Thee,
Majesty divine!

To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily- satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart. St. Bernard stated this holy paradox in a musical quatrain that will be instantly understood by every worshipping soul:

We taste Thee, O Thou Living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still:
We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.

come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking. …

David’s life was a torrent of spiritual desire, and his psalms ring with the cry of the seeker and the glad shout oft he finder. Paul confessed the mainspring of his life to be his burning desire after Christ. `That I may know Him,’ was the goal of his heart, and to this he sacrificed everything. `Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may win Christ’ (Phil 3:8).

…

In the midst of this great chill there are some, I rejoice to acknowledge, who will not be content with shallow logic. They will admit the force of the argument, and then turn away with tears to hunt some lonely place and pray, `O God, show me thy glory.’ They want to taste, to touch with their hearts, to see with their inner eyes the wonder that is God.

I want deliberately to encourage this mighty longing after God. The lack of it has brought us to our present low estate. The stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a result of our lack of holy desire. Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. …

…

When religion has said its last word, there is little that we need other than God Himself. The evil habit of seeking God-and effectively prevents us from finding God in full revelation. In the `and’ lies our great woe. If we omit the `and’, we shall soon find God, and in Him we shall find that for which we have all our lives been secretly longing.

We need not fear that in seeking God only we may narrow our lives or restrict the motions of our expanding hearts. The opposite is true. We can well afford to make God our All, to concentrate, to sacrifice the many for the One.

…

The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.
Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight. Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing,
for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever.

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, `Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus’ name, Amen.“

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy,
the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” – C.S. Lewis

I’ve run a few races, and I love running. In fact, it took me a while to realize my identity wasn’t found in the actual physical exercise of running, but the running of the eternal race. The one with higher stakes.

So I speak from experience with the following illustration.

Supposing tomorrow I were to receive one of the many pamphlets that are mailed to me (ever since I ran my first race in 2000), and supposing I were to open it, expecting to see what I usually see (a date, a registration card, the details of the charity I’m running for, etc), and it were to look like this instead:

I don’t know about you, but without a why and some idea of what cause I was forwarding, I wouldn’t be too thrilled about participating in this race. The stakes are too high to make such a commitment without an accurate knowledge of what I would be running for.

When you registered for a life dedicated to running the Eternal Race, you made a commitment (according to scripture) to run today, every day, every moment of this life on earth… you know that, and I know that, but it is so easy to lose sight of the “why” isn’t it?

William Barkley said, “There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born, and the day we discover why.”

Do you know why you are running, and what you are running towards?

Philippians 3:20-21 says,

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
The quote from Lewis at the beginning of this post is one of my favorites. But I think so often we don’t realize that the longing for heaven IS within us.

When sorrows or sickness or grief or pain come; when a marriage falls apart or children are abused or we read about the death of more American troops; when evil, death, and misery fill the evening news; when buildings burn and floodwaters sweep away the lives and hopes of millions; when terrorists succeed or the legal system fails to bring order to this chaotic world…

or simply when things go wrong in our own little, personal, day-to-day lives… when you miss an appointment, receive a poor grade, injure yourself and can’t participate in basketball for a season; when your computer crashes for unknown and inexplicable reasons; when an unsaved co-worker abuses you verbally for your faith; when finances are tight; when your health fails; when that sin pattern you thought you had conquered rears it’s ugly head yet again…

do you, Christian, see that all of these things, and many more, not only direct us back to God’s sovereignty, but more significantly, they are flashing signs that say:
“This is not your home!” “You were meant for more!”

This world has been corrupted by sin. Even good things that God created, like marriage, (between one man and one woman) have been twisted and warped until they are hardly recognizable. I read something the other day that pointed out that Satan does not have the capacity or ability to create… only to manipulate and destroy. Sin is a distortion of God’s good gifts to mankind. And it is everywhere.

When you are overwhelmed with the political, economical, and social entropy of the world we live in, or when you simply find yourself burdened with the cares of your own life, do you take the opportunity to realize and remember what you were made for? And thank God for the reminder? All of this life’s agony blesses us with the opportunity to recognize and acknowledge that our citizenship is in heaven, and to once again thank God for the mystery of our salvation.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,
who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation
that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
- 1 Peter 1:3-5

 

“There are precious hours, blessed be God, when we forget the world – times and seasons when we get quite away from it, when our weary spirit wings its way far, far, from scenes of toil and strife. There are precious moments when the angel of contemplation gives us a vision. He comes and puts his finger on the lip of the noisy world; he bids the wheels that are continually rattling in our ears be still; and we sit down, and there is a solemn silence of the mind. We find our heaven and our God; we engage ourselves in contemplating the glories of Jesus, or mounting upwards towards the bliss of heaven – in going backward to the great secrets of electing love, in considering the immutability of the blessed covenant…in remembering our own participation of that life which cometh from God, in thinking of our blood-bought union with the Lamb, of the consummation of our marriage with him in realms of light and bliss, or any such kindred topics. Then it is that we know a little about heaven. “
- CHS

Do you desire heaven? Do you take the opportunity, when burdens overwhelm you and the world looks so grim and the future so hopeless, to acknowledge the “prize” you are running towards?

It’s a race worth running, because the prize is infinitely sweeter than anything offered on the way. The longing in our hearts for peace, joy, happiness, and security… all that is unfulfilled in our hearts will be fully satisfied on the day we see our Savior face to face and enjoy His presence and fellowship forever.

Don’t lose sight of the finish line!

The enjoyment of [God] is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun.
These are but streams. But God is the ocean.
- Jonathan Edwards

While we wait for heaven, all our soul’s efforts and strength to run must be bound up fully and only in Christ and the satisfaction that comes from him!

The amazing goodness of God will never cease to satisfy you and give you strength to finish the race marked out for you by your loving Father before the beginning of time.

What peace and joy must flow from that knowledge! Heaven IS our home, and while we “wait” (not passively… this is a race!) we may find full satisfaction in Jesus Christ!

Heaven by Paul Wright (www.myspace.com/paulwright)

Right around the corner
I want to know what it’s like to be in heaven
Looking back on my life having answers to my questions
Cuz we don’t belong here forever
No no we don’t belong here
And we’ll be dancing, singing, bringing our praise
By lifting our voices to Jesus
There’ll be no more crying, lying or dying when you and I are in heaven
I want to know what it’s like to live forever
Embraced by the light of knowing you better Lord
Cuz we don’t belong here forever no no we don’t belong here
We we we gonna be dancing, singing,
Lifting our voices to Jesus
Take me home
I want to go home
I want to be in heaven just singing and dancing and praising and living forever…

Hebrews 12:1

“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.”

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What if, one morning, you awoke to find yourself standing at the starting line for a race. You find someone has dressed you in runner’s gear and outfitted you with the appropriate equipment for a long distance run. You glance quickly over your shoulder at a full water pack and supply of GU energy gel, but before you have time to really ponder the situation, you hear the starting gun and your mind surges adrenaline through your frame, kicking your legs into a slow jog.

Somewhat disoriented, you attempt to process your surroundings. You notice various other runners going in the same direction. A few start out fast, some slow. Some jog alone, and others pace together in groups. Your gaze turns to the road ahead of you; it stretches far beyond your view and dissapears into the horizon line, swallowed up in the distant landscape.

You suddenly realize that this is no 10k. It’s a marathon. “What on earth posessed me to sign up for this?” you muse, reaching for your hydro-pack. A deep, cool sip of water throws you into a brisk trot.

The road continues on, as do you. At first, your eyes are fixed on the minute point ahead where road meets horizon, but as you press on, you begin to look around, drawing your gaze from the road and taking in the scenery; the pleasant sights and sounds that eminate from just beyond the road’s edge. You don’t even notice that your pace has slowed until a friendly voice draws your gaze back to the road and your ears back to the rythmic sound of your tread on the pavement. Grateful for the reminder, you pick up speed. Yet as you do, you become aware of your need for nourishment.

Reaching for your pack, another voice cuts through, penetrating your concentration, offering refreshment if you turn aside for a moment. Your feet begin to stray off the road, and you stumble on uneven ground. Yet before you find yourself completely removed from the road, a strong hand clenches your own and pulls you back to your feet and onto the path. Although glad to be back on familiar ground, your hunger gnaws at your stomach, and your pace drags. Other runners are passing you, intent upon the road ahead. Several come alongside you, and as you strike up conversation, your weariness prompts you to unburden your heart and mind.

“Why am I running this race? Did I really sign up for this? It seems so much more difficult than I expected. The farther I run, the thirstier I become. So many runners are outpacing me. The road is so long. How will I ever finish this? The hills are so high, and my legs are so tired! I’m weary, hungry, thirsty, discouraged. I’ve never run this race before, and I don’t even know much about running. I didn’t train for this, and learning as I go is tough. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem fair. How can I be expected to run a race without proper conditioning, on an unfamiliar course? I don’t know when to expect the hills or valleys. I don’t feel ready for this. I’m ill-equipped, untrained. An ameteur runner trying to race a marathon. I frequently forget I’ve got this pack on my back, and so often want to turn aside for refreshment. I know I’ve got to keep running, but sometimes I just don’t want to, or I lose sight of why I’m running, or I’m weary, or I feel alone. Sometimes, I know I’ve got to keep running, but I’m just not sure how.
Sometimes, I know I’ve got to keep running, but I just don’t think I can.”

– - – - – - – - – -

One of my spiritual heroes, Charles H. Spurgeon quoted the following in a sermon on Galatians 5:7.

“The Christian race is by no means easy. We are sore let and hindered in running “the race that is set before us,” because of (1) Our sinful nature still remaining in the holiest saints. (2) Some easily besetting sin (Heb. 12:1). (3) The entanglements of the world, like heavy and close-fitting garments, impeding the racer’s speed. (4) Our weakness and infirmity, soon tired and exhausted when the race is long or the road is rough.
— “In Prospect of Sunday,” by G. S. Bowes

It’s so easy to become discouraged, isn’t it?
John MacArthur used the following article to expound on the analogy of the Christian life as a race…

- – - – - – - – - -

“When I was in college, I was a member of our school’s track and field team. I performed best in the sprints, and occasionally the quarter mile. One of my favorite races was the mile relay. Of all the races we ran, the one I remember best is one we didn’t win.

The race started wonderfully—our first runner ran such a great opening quarter-mile leg that as he passed the baton to me, we were tied for the lead. I ran as hard as I could, and as I passed the baton to our third runner, we were in first place. I thought we had an excellent chance to win—our fourth runner was especially fast.

Our third runner took off like lightening around the first curve and down the back stretch. And then the unthinkable happened. He stopped suddenly, walked off the track, and sat down on the grass. I ran over to him, thinking he must have pulled a muscle. When I reached him, he didn’t look like he was in pain, so I asked what was wrong. I’ll never forget his reply. All he said was, “I don’t know—I just didn’t feel like running today.”

Sadly, many people are like that runner. Somewhere along the way they stopped pursuing a deep, loving relationship with Christ, walked off His path of righteousness, and sat down to rest in their own self-righteousness and the ease of worldly pleasures. But allegiance and love to Christ demand a lifelong commitment. As our Lord Himself said, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

The apostle Paul understood that priority. His relationship to Christ was the passion of his life: “that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from among the dead” (Phil. 3:10-11). But he was under no illusion that he had achieved anything, and he compared his own pursuit of Christ to that of a runner in a race (vv. 12-16). Your spiritual race must have that same sense of dissatisfaction—without it there’s no reason to even run. In fact, there are several principles you need to apply as you pursue Him.

Maximum Effort
Considering who Christ is and what He has done for you, your effort should not be less than Paul’s: “I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus” (v. 12). The Greek word translated “press on” was used of a sprinter who ran aggressively. That was the kind of effort Paul exerted—he ran toward Christ with all his might, straining every spiritual muscle to win the prize (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-27). That ought to be your mindset. There’s only one race you ought to be running—and it takes maximum effort using the means of grace God has provided.

No one is going to put forth that kind of effort, however, unless there is some reward at the end. For Paul, and us as well, it is “that for which I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12). Paul’s prize, and ours, is the very purpose God had in saving us: “Whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). God saved us so that we might become like Christ, and as a result, that should be our lifelong pursuit.

Focused Concentration
If an athlete competing in a race stands any possibility of winning, he must focus on the finish and ignore the distractions along the track, the other competitors, and even the crowd. Likewise, you must concentrate on attaining the goal of Christlikeness and not get distracted by worldly attractions and temptations. Paul was well aware of those dangers. That’s why he said, “I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead” (Phil. 3:13).

How do you avoid the distractions of the world? By developing these two attitudes:
First, forget your past. As a runner approaches the starting line, his past performances have no bearing on the race he is preparing to run. The same thing is true when we run the spiritual race in pursuit of Christ—the past is completely irrelevant. Your successes and failures in the past are insignificant to the present, let alone the future. You can’t evaluate your usefulness by your former virtuous deeds and achievements in ministry; neither should you be debilitated by past sins and failures.

Second, reach for the goal. Instead of looking back, a good runner is always “reaching forward to what lies ahead” (Phil. 3:13). The Greek word for “reaching forward” refers to an intense stretching to the limit of one’s capacity. To run like that, you must forget the past and concentrate only on the goal ahead. Do you have that kind of concentration in your desire to become like Christ? To effectively pursue Christ, you must focus all your concentration on becoming like Him.

Spiritual Motivation
Paul was highly motivated in his pursuit of Christ: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (v. 14). He was motivated by spiritual matters; he was not caught up in material comforts and worldly pursuits. His goal was to be like Christ, and he would receive his reward when God’s upward call came. Christlikeness is both the goal and the prize we pursue.

Remember, this pursuit is objective, not subjective. It is not a mystical experience, but an exposure to the truth about Christ revealed in the Bible. Scripture is the mirror that reflects His glory. And when you gaze at it intently, you become like Him (2 Cor. 3:18).

Divine Assistance
Every believer ought to have the attitude that he or she is not perfect (Phil. 3:15). Those who have that perspective regarding their spirituality will be ready to respond positively to God’s correction. But if you have the wrong attitude about your spirituality, if you’re content with the current level of your spiritual growth, then God will reveal your true condition. He might do so through chastening (Heb. 12:5-11) or through trials (James 1:2, 4) to build and strengthen your faith and trust in Him.

Consistent Effort
No one can win a race with intermittent effort. Christlikeness cannot be reached with that kind of effort either—it is an ongoing pursuit. So Paul says, “Let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained” (Phil. 3:16). The Greek verb translated “keep living” refers to walking in line. Just as a runner must stay in his lane and keep up the same effort until he reaches the finish, you must stay in line spiritually and keep moving forward toward the goal of Christlikeness.

One summer while visiting Europe, I came across a famous gravestone at the foot of one of those majestic mountains in the Alps. Underneath the individual’s name the epitaph reads, “He died climbing.” That ought to be your attitude as you pursue Christ. When it’s time for the Lord to call you home, you ought to be pursuing Him.”

- – - – - – - – - -

Oh, friend. I want to die climbing. Do you? I want to “go to heaven tired.”

I am beginning this “Runner’s Log” in the hope that it will provide encouragement, refreshment, and faithful reminders of the freely available grace of God, to you.

“Grace abounding, strong and true,
it makes me long to be like you,
it turns me from my selfish pride,
to love the cross on which you died .

Grace unending all my days,
will give me strength to run this race,
and when my years on earth are through
the praise will all belong to you.”