Run the Race!

The 2015 Go! St. Louis Marathon was held a little over a month ago on April 12. The first woman to cross the finish line and claim victory was Kendall Schler. But the victory celebration was short-lived. After investigation, race officials stripped her of the title because it was discovered that she didn’t actually run the race. All runners wear a magnetic time-tracking strip that records beginning and finish times as well as time markers for 5 other reference points along the race course. This provides proof that each runner has followed the course. Schler had removed her magnetic strip. Apparently she had slipped on to the course after the final checkpoint and shortly before the finish line in her effort to deceive race officials into believing she had won. Andrea Karl, who initially placed second, was eventually crowned the true winner of the race.

The Bible describes living as a disciple of Jesus Christ as running a race. The writer of Hebrews encourages readers to run the race that is set before them (Hebrews 12:1). In context, the “race” referred to would be a life of faith lived for God (cf. 11). It is a race that requires endurance and ridding our lives of anything that slows us down or prevents us from advancing. As an example of One who ran such a race, the writer points to Jesus Himself (12:2) and encourages discouraged runners to think of Him when they are being tempted to give up (12:3).

Beginning and finishing the race as a follower of Jesus are both vitally important. We can’t win if we don’t start and we can’t win if we don’t finish. But we must also run between the starting line and the finish line. And it's those “in between” miles in the marathon of life that often prove to be the most difficult. The temptation is to cheat or skip the checkpoints. Don’t do it! We are called to “run the race that is set before us.” Let’s keep running!

God loves you!
Mike

Church and State

The temptation to advance the kingdom of God by means of governmental clout is powerful but deadly. It has been attempted by the people of God at various times throughout history with disastrous results for the church.

One writer describes the problem this way: “Whenever Christians have gotten what so many American evangelicals today are trying to get—namely, the power to enforce their righteous will on others—it eventually harms the church as well as the culture. The lesson of history, a lesson the Devil has known all along, is this: The best way to defeat the kingdom of God is to empower the church to rule the kingdom of the world—for then it becomes the kingdom of the world! The best way to get people to lay down the cross is to hand them the sword! The kingdom of God is not about coercive “power over,” but influential “power under.” Its essence is found in the power to transform lives from the inside out through love and service. When kingdom-of-God citizens aspire to acquire Caesar’s authority to accomplish “the good,” we sell our kingdom birthright for a bowl of worldly porridge (Gen 25). To the extent that we pick up the sword, we put down the cross. When our goal as kingdom people becomes centered on effectively running a better version of the kingdom of the world, we compromise our calling to be faithful to the kingdom of God” (Greg Boyd, “The Problem With Mixing Church & Government,” renew.org).

When will we learn?  We won’t change our nation or culture by having the power to force kingdom principles upon others.  As Jesus reminded his followers: “...all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Hearts cannot be truly changed at the point of a sword or by the stroke of a legislative pen.  Jesus’ kingdom, which is not of this world (John 18:36), should not be advanced by the ways of this world.  Church and state make a dangerous mix and the church always loses.

God loves you!

Mike

Memorial Signs

On a recent road trip, Derek and I passed through the junction of state highways 46 and 41, which is east of Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County.  This particular junction is just like so many others in the state except for one thing: a sign marking the spot as the “James Dean Memorial Junction.”  It turns out to be the very spot where the 24 year old actor lost his life in a car accident on September 30, 1955.  A memorial is something designed to honor the memory of a person or event.  It could be a statue, a monument, or a special day.  They can bring memories of happy or sad events.  In this case, it is a solitary road sign on desolate stretch of highway, commemorating the tragic death of a young man.

Speaking of memorials brings to mind another one in another place and another time. Jesus had come to Jerusalem for what would be the final time in his earthly ministry.  While he was visiting in the home of Simon the leper, an unnamed woman enters and anoints his head with some very expensive perfume.  The disciples of Jesus react indignantly, accusing the woman of being wasteful.  But Jesus, who was always quick to defend those that others abused, praised her for her extravagant gift.  “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to me. For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have me.  For when she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her” (Matthew 26:10-13).

As our lives intersect with the world around us, how will you and I be remembered?  What will be spoken of in memory of us as people reflect on our words and actions?  We have an opportunity to write our “memorial sign.”  What will it say?

God loves you!

Mike

Boasting In Weakness

“If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness” (2 Corinthians 11:30).
Paul’s statement to the believers in Corinth sounds so counter-intuitive, doesn’t it?  I don’t recall ever hearing of a bragging match over weaknesses.  On the other hand, I’ve heard of (or participated in) far too many of the other type. “I’m smarter, stronger, richer, faster, better looking, taller, thinner, holier, or ________ than you!”  That’s the kind of boasting to which we are accustomed.  It starts on the playground in elementary school and continues on through adulthood.  We come to enjoy the one-upmanship; we enjoy feeling superior to others even if we probably wouldn’t admit it.  Advertisers feed on the discontent that bragging matches cultivate.  “I need those shoes to make me run faster.”  “I need that makeup to make me better looking.”  “I need that house or car to help me keep up with the neighbors.” Boasting matches over our strengths tend to feed our sense of inadequacy and fuel the fires of unholy competition.
How can we learn to boast in our weaknesses? Perhaps it happens best when we, like Paul, have all of our perceived areas of strength stripped away from us.  Saul of Tarsus was proud of his heritage, his learning, and his position in Judaism.  But after encountering the Risen Lord on the road to Damascus, the trajectory of Paul the apostle’s life drastically changed.  What he once perceived as strengths had now become liabilities in many ways (Philippians 3:3-11).  Paul learned that his weaknesses allowed the power of God to shine more brightly in his life and that helped him to find contentment with his inadequacies (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
So the next time someone points out one of my weaknesses, rather than arguing about it or belittling my critic, I hope that God gives me the grace to agree with him or her.  If it helps to highlight the Lord’s strengths, then I pray that, like Paul, I can be content with my weaknesses rather than boasting of my strengths.

God loves you!

Mike

A Burden For The Church

“Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern” (2 Corinthians 11:28–29)?

Paul had just finished rehearsing a long list of physical struggles he had endured for the sake of the kingdom of God.  Beatings, stoning, shipwreck, hunger, thirst, exposure -- to name a few.  As much as these things brought pain to his life, Paul had learned that they came and went.  Every day wasn’t filled with such intense physical struggle and danger.  Mercifully, there were some breaks in between the bruises.

But in the verses at the beginning of this article, Paul speaks of an relentless, everyday struggle in his life -- his deep concern for the churches within his sphere of influence.  One gets the sense after reading through the context that, as painful as the physical struggles were, the mental and emotional strain Paul felt for the churches was a pain that reached a deeper level.  Perhaps more than anyone, Paul knew the spiritual dangers that threatened local gatherings of believers.  He wrote of false apostles and deceitful workers who disguised themselves as apostle of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:13).  He warned of savage wolves who would not spare the flock in their efforts to draw disciples away (Acts 20:29).  Of course there was also the internal biting and devouring that Christians inflicted on one another (Galatians 5:15).  No wonder his concern was so intense!

Do I feel the pressure of concern for the church of which I am a part?  And if I do, how would such a concern reveal itself?  Does my concern for my local fellowship show up in my prayers?  In my participation?  In my support?  Would an outsider look at me and be able to detect a concern for the fellowship I call home and the body of Christ at large?  May the Lord give me a burden for the church!

God loves you!

Mike

Half-Hearted

          Aiden Rodgers was born with half a heart.  Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome happens in about 1 in every 6000 live births.  While in the womb and connected to the mother’s life support system, babies with this condition do pretty well.  The unborn child can have a normal heart rhythm and exhibit no symptoms, making the problem difficult to diagnose prior to birth.  But once born, problems begin to develop.  Forced to work on its own now, the underdeveloped heart can’t keep up with the critical needs of the growing infant’s body.  Without immediate medical attention at birth, the baby can go into cardiac arrest within days.  Since Aiden’s condition was diagnosed pre-birth, the doctors were prepared to address his problems without delay.  He underwent his first open heart surgery shortly after his birth on May 19, 2014, at just four days old.  The surgery itself is risky with a nearly 16 percent mortality rate but thankfully he survived.  Aiden experienced his second surgery on September 15 and was able to go home on October 3.  A third surgery will be necessary between the ages of two and three.  This little boy won’t be out of the woods even then because complications can arise.  But under the watchful eyes of his parents and medical professionals, things are looking up for this brave little boy (Source: “Baby Born With Rare Diagnosis: He Only Has Half His Heart”; Nicole Kwan, foxnews.com).
          Facing life with only half of a physical heart is very difficult. The same is true with half of a spiritual heart.  The difference is that we choose how much heart we have and use spiritually.  Half-heartedness in our relationship with God shouldn’t be tolerated. Jesus claimed that the greatest commandment of all was to “...love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, and with ALL your soul, and with ALL your mind” (Matthew 22:37).  Divided loyalties never work (Matthew 6:24).  God is unwilling to share the throne in the heart of his child (Exodus 20:3).  He desires your WHOLE heart, not just a fraction of it.

God loves you!
Mike

Warts And All

“Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God” (Romans 15:7).

These are powerful, sobering words when you think about it.  How did Jesus accept us?  He accepted us with all of our failings, weaknesses, and insecurities.  He welcomed us when we were a mess.  We didn’t have to clean ourselves up to a certain standard of acceptableness.  We didn’t have to have all of our “ducks in a row.”  Paul said it this way: “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:6–10).

Did you catch that?  God seeks a relationship with us while we are “helpless”, “ungodly”, “sinners”, and “enemies”.  It doesn’t sound like we bring much of worth to the bargaining table.  Is God content to leave us in such a pitiful state?  Of course not.  Through the work of His Spirit he works to transform us into the image of Christ.  He desires for us to be so much more.  But that doesn’t change the fact that He accepts us as we are, warts and all.

So that is our model for accepting each other in the body of Christ.  Sounds like a tall order, doesn’t it?  Frankly, most of us think the church would be a much better place if everyone was more like us.  We have our unwritten standards of acceptability.  But “I’ll accept you if…” is not acceptable if I am committed to accepting you as Christ accepts me.

God loves you!

Mike