Thursday, June 30, 2011

Running

I went for a 3 mile run yesterday.  I don't run.  I mean, I love to run, but I just don't.  Typically it's because I don't have time, or when I do have time there are other more pressing things, but there are these points in my life when the desire to run wells up within me so that, when a bit of "free" time arises, I bite the bullet and go for a run.  Yesterday was one such day.
You know, the interesting thing about my running habits is that they are not conducive to running.  I mean, with my age and physical condition, I could probably run 10 miles no problem if I did it regularly, but I just don't.  Other things crowd in and become more important.  There are times when I decide to run regularly, this typically happens in the Fall (at least it has the past 3 Falls) when my schedule changes a bit, and it gets a little cooler, and I'm in better shape from being out and around all summer.  So I'll start up running on this schedule, but after a week, or maybe 2-3 if I'm lucky, I just won't be doing it anymore.
Or, the other thing that happens is my experience yesterday.  I have run once (that I remember) in the past...3 months, and that was at a slow pace for maybe 2 miles.  So, yesterday, I set out to run at 4:30, in the heat, and I'm dead set on running 3 miles.  After mile 1 my legs are barely coming up from the ground (trust me, they had no problem going down).  About two thirds of the way through mile 2 my body started rebelling.  It started with my stomach; it just didn't feel good.  And then it went to my head.  And then my shoulder.  And then my legs.  I figured my body was just playing tricks on me, so I kept on running.  Around mile 2.15 my intestines started acting up (yes, your intestines can react to running...).  It probably didn't help that I had eaten around 40 cherries within 20 minutes of starting my run.  I was convinced that I was just going to start spewing....ok, too much detail, we'll leave the negative effects of my body.  But in my mind at the time, these things should be happening; this was because I was running; this was because I was pushing myself; I wouldn't stop for anything; I was full steam ahead.

It is interesting that Paul compares our spiritual life to running a race.  There have been too many times when I've woken up one day and gone, "You know, I haven't run spiritually in a while.  I haven't prayed or read my Bible for 3 weeks!"  Or worse yet, "I've been doing the religious thing, but it's been months since I've really taken time to commune with God and seek his face."  The things of life have crowded in, I've become too busy and consumed with my daily life that I haven't taken time to do that one thing that is really important to me.  And so I'll do one of two things (the same things I do with running): Either I sit down and create a schedule, I decide when I'm going to do what and allot my time for God; or I just get such a desire for God that I just "do it", I sit down and read the entire book of Romans or Isaiah in one sitting (ok...never Isaiah, but I'm just saying).
In the first case, it is very soon that my schedule has run out, that I'm back to the same old things again, and that its another 3 months until God turns the light on and makes me realize where I'm at.
In the second case, I end up pushing so hard, I have such a desire for him that I just go, go, go until my body and mind are falling apart and I'm so weary I can't even stand.

Now, I'm not saying that a schedule is bad (I think it is actually necessary) or that we shouldn't push at times in our spiritual life.  But here are some thoughts of ways to compensate for this "push every 6 months" phenomenon that I find within my running and my spiritual walk.

1) Do it with friends.  Everything is easier when you have friends to do it with you, people to hold you accountable, someone to check up and make sure that you're doing what you want to be / should be, someone to do those things with you.

2) Set some end goals.  When you're working towards something it becomes much easier to stick with your plan.  My dad is planning on running a 5K in July, he's out running everyday; I have nothing to run for, so I run once every 3 months.  Set some goals for your spiritual life.  Decide to read through your Bible in a year, pick three people to witness to and pray for until one of them comes to Christ, pick a spiritual discipline that you want to improve on with an end goal of where you want to be, decide to save up $1000 to give to missions, find someone to disciple and agree to meet with them once a week for a year.  Make sure, though, that once you complete your goals you set some new ones.

3) Pace yourself.  Ok, there's danger in saying this...because it can be misunderstood.  You should be sold out to Christ.  If He calls, you should drop anything and EVERYTHING to do what He calls you to.  There is no "off" time in the Christian faith, you should ALWAYS be living for God.  BUT, this does not mean that you should be reading your Bible / praying / or serving in some tangible way at all times.  There are other spiritual disciplines, there is a LIFE to live.  And so, if you feel God calling you back to reading His Word, or back to times of prayer, or back to neglected service, or back to discipleship, or back to whatever it might be, PACE YOURSELF!  Don't give up everything to do that one thing, because that is not what God wants, at least in the long run.  When God gives you a task or shows you an area in your life that requires change, go at it with gusto, but be sure to keep an eye on everything else to make sure that Satan doesn't twist your good desires into an unhealthy and unwise preoccupation.

Run the spiritual race.  Keep your eyes on the goal set before you.  Take regular time to fix your eyes on Christ.  Consciously throw off the sin that so easily entangles.  Push yourself to the extreme.  Do the things that you never dreamed you could do.  Life a life sold out to Christ, so that the only thing that matters is the race that you are running, and everything else slowly fades away.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Book Review: "The True Vine" by Andrew Murray

The True Vine (1897) by Andrew Murray  This devotional style book based on John 15 is excellent and definitely worth the read.  Andrew Murray fully fleshes out the idea of abiding in Christ and correctly balances the truths of "ye can do nothing" with "ye are friends if ye obey my commands".  We must seek to obey Christ in everything that we do, bearing fruit for the glory of the Father, by recognizing that we can do nothing apart from him and taking time daily to orient ourselves towards him in our mind and heart and then living our day wholly dependent upon him.  Jesus Christ, please accomplish this in my life.

Abiding in Christ

I finished reading the book "The True Vine" by Andrew Murray (see my page titled "The Book List" to see my assessment of the book).  It was excellent and gave many good reminders of what it means to wait on and abide in Christ.  It has given me a renewed desire to pray for others and for myself, but more importantly to take time alone with Christ on a regular basis, doing nothing more than sitting and waiting for His Spirit to move within my heart and reveal Jesus to me more fully.  Oh to know the height and depth and width and breadth of the love of God!  I pray that I may come to more fully understand who He is and to more fully love as He does.

Here's an excerpt from the book that I found especially challenging/encouraging,
Let everyone who professes to be a Christian worker pause.  Ask whether you are leaving your mark for eternity on those around you.  It is not your preaching or teaching, your strength of will or power of influence, that will secure this.  All depends on having your life full of God and His power.  And that again depends upon your living the truly branchlike life of abiding - close and unbroken fellowship with Christ.  It is the branch that abides in Him that brings forth much fruit, fruit that will abide [last].
...
O my heavenly Vine, it is beginning to dawn upon my soul that fruit, more fruit, much fruit - abiding fruit - is the one thing that You have to give me and the one thing as branch that I have to give You!  Here I am.  Blessed Lord, work out Your purpose in me; let me bear much fruit, abiding fruit, to Your glory.

Amen

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Book Review: "Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective"

Confession of Faith (in a Mennonite Perspective) (1995) by Herald Press  I had to read this 92 page confession of faith in order to complete my application to Swamp Mennonite Church, however, as I read it I became increasingly glad that I had to do so.  There is something refreshing in the emphasis upon Jesus' teachings on wholeness and reconciliation that permeates this confession of faith.  At times I think the Mennonite Church lacks an emphasis on certain areas of the Christian Life, such as evangelism and discipleship, however this confession has a good balance between these tenets of the Christian faith as well as the need for social action and right relationships with the church as well as the world.  I would recommend that anyone read this to gain a different perspective on the Bible, the life of the Church, and the mission of every believer.