Running Through the Tape

I have had several events converging that when combined create this perfect storm. It has encouraged me to rely less on myself and more on God’s grace. These events are not really impacting my well being, but that of some of those closest to me. Two in particular weigh heavily on my heart. Without revealing too much detail, both involve very long paths; long races, much effort to complete or overcome.

This has brought a few memories back to me from my “old” track days. We would prepare and prepare and then the day of the race would arrive and the one thing our coach instilled in us is that during the race no matter what run through the tape; whether in first place or last run as hard as you possibly could all the way through the tape.

Another way to say it comes from my favorite football coach who has this motto; finish the drill – no matter the circumstance; let your last step be your best step; let your last block be your best block; your last pass be your best pass. I think the Apostle Paul would have appreciated this mindset.

Think of Paul and all the trials he faced from shipwrecks to deserts to prison to illness yet he encouraged us all to finish the race. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul instructs us;

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Can you see Paul encouraging us to finish strong. There will always be obstacles, there will always be trials, and there will always be influences, but no matter what finish strong. We have a great, loving, healing and glorious savior waiting at the finish line with arms open wide. So my friends what ever may be going on in your lives know that Christ is there for you and finish the race just as Christ finished His race for each of us.

In 2 Timothy, Paul provided something that one day I hope we all can say;

7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Grace and Peace!

Divine Grace

Recently I have been focused on how wonderful the grace of God truly is! Just because we can rest in God’s grace doesn’t mean things will be better and better. I remember the lesson Paul gives telling us that God’s grace is sufficient for all things; telling us because of God’s grace he would boast in his weakness; telling us that he would be glad about his weakness so that Christ’s power might rest on him (2 Cor 12:9).

That is how amazing Grace really is. It doesn’t mean we won’t have trials, hardships, or troubles. John Calvin said; “For men have no taste for it [God’s Power] till they are convinced of their need of it and they immediately forget its value unless they are continually reminded by awareness of their own weakness”. Think of Paul and all he endured during hist ministry. His attitude and teaching is amazing to me considering all that he experienced. In 2 Corinthians; he says;

10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

So to me when we are enduring we are being made strong through Christ! So to know more and more of the Grace of God there will be difficulties. Now, believe me I know that we are all human and sometimes these difficulties can be overwhelming even impossible to overcome however Christ reminds us to take heart because he has overcome this world! Amen.

So whatever we are facing or going through we can trust; we as believers can take heart that that God’s grace is truly sufficient; His love is there. So take heart my friends; no matter what. God’s grace is enough!

Let’s end with Psalm 145:8-9;

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love, The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Abba Father, we praise you that you are gracious and compassionate, full of love and perfectly good. Good and gracious God, we love you.

Grace and Peace!

Biblical Hope

Does it ever seem just too much? Does it seem the world has gone crazy; economically, politically, with floods and oil spills? If we are honest don’t we just want to scream out enough!

I have recently been reading a book called Engaging God’s World by Cornelius Plantinga Jr. and there is a chapter on longing and hoping. What I am getting from this is that as broken humans we will view things with a self centered bias; we can’t help it. And what we truly need is to view things with a Christ centered lens. Only then can we truly trust and hope.

In this book, Plantinga calls this hope, Biblical hope and says; “Biblical hope has a wide angle lens. It takes in whole nations and peoples. It brings into focus the entire created order – wolves and lambs, mountains, plains, rivers and valleys. When it is widest and longest, Biblical hope looks forward toward a whole “new heaven and new earth,” in which death, and mourning, and pain will have passed away (Rev 21:1,4), and in which the Son of god receives the treasures of nations who parade into the city of God (Rev 21:22-26).”

That really puts hope into perspective for me! My hope is too small and too scattered and as believers who trust in our God there is the greatest hope. So as believers, no matter what is going on in this world, we can trust that our sovereign God is on His throne overseeing all things. We can find peace and comfort and strength and hope. We just need corrective lenses to truly see and God loves us so much he has supplied just that lens in his word.

So as things build up, may we all turn to scriptures to bring our worldview into focus. That brings to mind Psalm 25:5 which says; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Abba Father, we pray for great hope in troubling times, we pray for gospel peace and gospel strength and gospel encouragement for all your people. We pray for those facing uncertainty from things such as floods and leaks and war and illness and economic turmoil praying for the greatest hope of all – Eternity with You! Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace