Selah Saturday: Not for the Faint of Heart

Not for the Faint of Heart

My college roommate was in ROTC. I was not, however, in the interest of friendship, I agreed to be her PT (physical training) partner. In those immortal words, I thought “how hard can it be?”

I’m here to tell you it was hard. Harder than anything I had ever done. The worst of it was the long distance running. Within what seemed like only a few minutes, I had sharp, needle-like pain shooting up the front of each shin. I thought if I kept running I would push through it, and everything would be fine. The longer I ran, the worst the pain became. I don’t recall the number of sessions I participated in, but it certainly wasn’t many. Looking back, I realize how totally unprepared I was and how related the experience is to our Christian walk.

• I didn’t have the correct equipment. I was a cash-poor, college student. My sneakers were basic, “over the counter” shoes without the necessary support for my feet or body.
• I didn’t prepare. Day one I strapped on my sneakers and hit the road to run the required five miles. I didn’t work up to the distance by running short sprints for some period of time.
• I didn’t seek out others who might help. I didn’t ask for instruction about techniques or other useful information that would make my training easier.

One thing I did have was enthusiasm. I was gung-ho to help my friend, but within a short time my excitement waned, and she had to find another partner. I was relegated to keeping her boots and buttons polished.

Perhaps our Christian life is similar. We accept Christ as our Lord, and we’re excited to bring everyone we know into the Kingdom. Then life happens. Our Bible and prayer life begin to gather dust, and we show up on Sundays for a quick sermon. Or maybe we do read our Bible somewhat regularly and go to church. But maybe our prayers feel like they are hitting the ceiling instead of arriving at the feet of God.

What have I learned?

• Take it one day at a time. Billy Graham didn’t become Billy Graham overnight. Start out slow. Take fifteen minutes, pick up a devotional guide (e.g. Our Daily Bread), read the scripture listed in the book and the associated devotion. Ask God to help you apply the words to your life.
• Get an accountability partner, someone who will guide and support you and give you techniques to developing your relationship with God.

Soon you will discover you are spending more time reading and praying. Even better, you’ll soon anticipate and look forward to your time with God.

Selah Saturday: Come as You Are

“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

My husband and I recently went to England on vacation where Spring has already arrived. In addition to visiting many of the famous buildings in London such as Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace, and the Tower of London, we had a chance to enjoy Hyde Park and Regent’s Park.

Both parks are beautifully landscaped and filled with numerous gardens, ponds and statutes. Foliage was coming on the perennials, and splashes of color were provided by the crocuses, daffodils, snapdragons, tulips, and primroses. Swans, ducks, gulls, herons, geese and cormorants played and fed in the water while, jays, robins, thrushes, and finches flitted among the trees.

Along the shore, the pigeons vied for attention. Not from us, but from each other. The male pigeons were quite a sight. If the female pigeons they wanted to impress weren’t looking at them, they would either peck at her back so she’d turn around, or they’d take flight then land in front of her. Once the male pigeon had his potential wife’s attention, he would puff up his neck and sing to her all while performing an intricate dance. Usually she turned away and continued searching for food, so the poor, male pigeon would have to start the ritual all over again.

Watching the pigeons got me thinking about what we as Christians often do in our relationship with God. We think we have to look a certain way or perform all sorts of fancy moves to get his attention and make him love us. The good news is that God loves us no matter what we do, and often times in spite of what we do. It’s not about the number of committees on which we serve or how many people we bring into the Kingdom, although those are both worthwhile pursuits. It’s about approaching God as we are, with child-like faith and gratitude that we can rest in his arms. In the days ahead, try not to let busy-ness and preconceived expectations prevent you from experiencing sweet fellowship with your heavenly Father. And next time you see a pigeon, remember God loves you just as you are.