During last weekend’s running, I was consumed with thoughts of the upcoming Lenten season and the many ways we might approach it. As always, thank you for supporting my efforts to be a positive and encouraging force for those within my sphere of influence.
History is filled with examples of people who started out humbly, rose to greatness, then came to the end of their life battered and broken. At the end of Luke 19, we see such an example in Scripture. Jesus, one who had received praise from thousands, one who was cheered on as a potential hero, would soon be abused and cast aside by the same people who had earlier cheered him on. On that first Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the crowds waved palm branches shouting, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” They were cheering him, praising him…but then something happened…all that cheering and praising stopped. Jesus didn’t gather troops. He didn’t lead a political rebellion. He didn’t defeat the Romans. He didn’t do anything they expected. Instead, he drove the moneychangers out of the temple. He taught that giving out of poverty was worth more than giving out of abundance. He taught that in order to be great, you must first be a servant. Jesus did everything the people didn’t want or ask for, and so the cheering stopped. When God does what we want, it’s easy to cheer. But what about when he doesn’t do those things? What happens when you experience trouble? Do you stop cheering? Sometimes God does give us what we want, but more importantly, he always gives us what we need. But so many times our wants get in the way of our ability to see our needs. The same thing happened to the crowds that lined those Jerusalem streets to cheer Jesus. In order for God to be a hero in our lives, an icon of hope, and a Savior for the world, we cannot approach him on our own terms. Many people come to Jesus from different backgrounds, but as Christians we are betting our eternal life on Jesus’ words in John 14:6 that "He is the way, the truth, and the life." Lent is coming, presenting a life-changing message on Jesus’ terms. Will you cheer…or will you be silent?
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I love being a part of a large group of runners, whether it be a pace group in a specific race, a running club, or part of a social network where runners are present. The encouragement I receive in such groups is immeasurable, allowing me to forge ahead when the going gets tough. In addition, it’s wonderful to have cheering supporters on the sidelines. Even if I never get to run another Boston marathon, I will never forget all those cheering fans, sometimes 5 to 10 people deep, lining the streets, all wanting the best for those running the race.
Yes…there is great power in encouragement. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” The Greek word translated as “encourage” in this passage is in a present and active tense. It speaks to the need to do it now and to do it often. It is not meant to be accidental but very, very intentional. In fact, I like how Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of this passage says it, “Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out…” Let’s be creative in the way we encourage others! In our competitive world it’s easy to laugh at each other, to discourage each other, to seek to be successful at the expense of others. But for those who seek a better way of life, I beg you to spur on your fellow runner, your fellow man and woman, to greatness. Sometimes I have found that near the end of a marathon, a cheer from the crowd or another runner has been the one thing that’s kept me moving forward. It’s the same way with life. Train like heck to run the race of your life, but encourage others to do the same…to run the best race they could possible run and to live the best life they could possibly live. God bless and good running! “The Lord is my Guitar Teacher,
And nothing can be better. He makes me go to the right notes, He leads me to the correct strings. He gives me courage in life. He guides me on the stages, For His sake. Even though I miss notes, I show no fear, for you are with me, Your notes and chords they comfort me. You let me jump up and down mightily in the presence of my critics, And I don’t get scared. My skills are increasing. Certainly exciting and successful times will follow me all the years of my life, and I will dwell in the Guitar Hero Hall of Fame forever.” Years ago, a middle school boy in my youth group wrote the above translation of Psalm 23. The goal was to show the importance of understanding Scripture by putting it in his own words, digging deeper into the valuable insights that were presented about the nature of God, the nature of human beings, and the relationship between the two. Psalm 23, this psalm of David is written from the perspective of the “sheep” and is very intimate, reflecting God’s care and concern for each and every last sheep…each and every one of us. The scenario given would have been pretty common at the time this psalm was written, so people would have been able to understand and relate to it very well…unlike us twenty-first century Americans who don’t hangout with shepherds and sheep very much! So much may be gleaned just from first verse – “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” The first half of the verse implies how the Lord our Shepherd protects us, takes care of us, nourishes us, and guides us. During my past few daily runs, my devotional thoughts have included: How has God been a Shepherd to me? How does the Lord protect me? Care for me? Provide for me? Guide me? And in turn… How might I "shepherd" others towards a better way of life that glorifies God in the process? The second part of the verse contains words translated as “not want.” Does that word want, as it appears in the original Hebrew, mean the same thing as the word want does today? I think it means more a “lack” of things, and even more than that, I think it means that our Good Shepherd will not allow us to lack for anything He believes is necessary for us. May you be lacking in nothing that you need according to the Lord’s vision for the whole of His creation. God bless and good running! |
Bio
I am a UMC pastor, appointed to serve as a chaplain for two senior adult living communities. My wife is a general music teacher and middle school band director, and we have two sons – 18 and 14. Archives
March 2020
Reflections From The Run
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