Run Well

Today at church our Pastor, Justin, painted this scenario for us -- what if you were in a long distance race with the best long distance runner in the world? (That would suck. And I'm not sure WHO that is currently, but we'll call him Bill). You would probably train like crazy, maybe sit down with some long distance runners you admire and get their advice...it would likely be the main thing you think about as you prepare for that day. But what if, right before the race started Bill came up to you and said:

"Listen, I know you've worked hard to get here. I know everything you've gone through; I've been through it myself, but you and I both know there is no way you're going to beat me in this race. So I've decided I'm going to share the winnings with you -- all the fame, glory, money -- I'll share it all with you. So do your best in the race, but just know that no matter where you finish you will win."

I thought to myself, "Yea...I see where he's going with this. Bill is Jesus. The race is life. Great metaphor."

But then he posed another question:

"How many of you are like me and you're competitive and you work really hard and if someone were to come to you and say that you would be offended? You would say 'Thanks, but I don't want to be your charity case. I can do this.'"

Man. Talk about trying to earn your salvation yourself, to earn it through works. To try so hard to measure up so that you feel worthy of the free gift He gave you that you strive yourself to death.

A few years ago, I had this revelation that I tended to be this type of person. I remember I was sitting on my bed in my parents' house; I was still living at home at the time. And I was reading the story about Mary and Martha. I'd read it/heard it before many times, but wow...it wrecked me totally.

"Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." - Luke 10:38-42

I started sobbing and my heart was so torn within me. I was Martha in that story. I was caught up in all the activities, all the works I was trying to do for the Lord, but I wasn't spending enough time sitting and listening to Him. I have this ingrained drive for excellence that in it's pure form is good, but can be manipulated into competitiveness and running on a performance treadmill.

I think it was in that moment a few years ago while reading the Mary and Martha story that God really brought that to light to me. I thought I had fully dealt with it then, but as Justin spoke today about rejecting Jesus's free gift of victory, I realized I still sometimes try to do it myself. I'm not always resting in the victory that He won for me. I'm still sometimes fighting for my rights, fighting to "be respected," fighting to be recognized. Yuck.

There is rest in God. There is. So let's run this race well, taking time out to just listen to Him so we know where to go and what to do, and resting in knowing that regardless of where we place in the end, we still finish first.

"The Believer’s Rest

Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

'As I swore in My wrath,
They shall not enter My rest,'

although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: 'And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;  and again in this passage, 'They shall not enter My rest.' Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, 'Today,' saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before,

'Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.'

For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." - Hebrews 4