August 2011 "Sketchings"

“GOING THE DISTANCE!!”

Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? It involves a challenge thrown down by the hare for a race between himself and the tortoise. Of course, it seems like a sure bet that the rabbit is going to win. Speed is not the main asset of a turtle. So when the race begins the rabbit takes off. The hare is so far out in front. His confidence is beaming. The race surely has already been won. So the hare decides take a break, to step out of the action and to take a nap.

But things are far from over. The race hasn’t been won. The tortoise doesn’t stop but plods on with the slow, methodical, deliberate steps that are his forte. He’s in this race to win. He knows that in order to win he must plod on, step after step. You know the end of the story. The turtle proves victorious over the over-confident and foolish rabbit.

This story can be an image of our Christian walk. Our getting to the end means faithfulness in our following of Jesus Christ. It means persistence in staying in the race with our fullest effort. It means keeping our eyes on God’s vision for us and refusing to let circumstances determine the outcome.

Now let me follow that by saying that our goal as Christians is to grow our faith and confidence and trust so that we can keep going. The “prize” that we’re after is the high honor of serving our God out of the deep roots of faith that join us to Jesus, the Christ. Our dream victory is simply being faithful step by step over the long haul to the calling we have to become more and more like the Spirit of God that fills us.

If we’re intent on doing that, we have some steps to take to get going. If we’re going to move from standing still and getting this “race of faith” underway, we need to deal with those old familiar, “who, what, where, when and why” questions.

Right now, I’d say, that the most difficult of those questions before us is the “when” question. As individuals, and perhaps ever as a congregation, we have all kinds of thoughts about where to go; what to do; with whom to do it and why. But in order to get out of the box, up to the starting line and on the way, it is the “when” question that has to be figured out. When is the word of procrastination. When is the element called indecision. When, when put into motion, is the door through which we will need to pass if we are to move from where we are today to where we want to be tomorrow. When is the key question to be answered before we can be fully on the road toward the “prize” of faithfulness in our calling as children of God.

When is a serious question as we consider our relationship with Jesus the Christ. When is a serious question as we plod along step by step through life. When is a serious question in putting down deep roots of faith.

When are you going to get back to consistent regular worship with God’s family? When are you going to break the habit of sitting at home with the Sunday paper and a cup of coffee? When are you going to get things straight in terms of generosity and really being a good steward of the resources God has given you to manage? When is Christ going to truly become the captain of your life? When is prayer going to become as natural as breathing and as frequent as your next breath? When will you finally decide that you’ve waited long enough on the fringes of the Christian life (the hare’s nap???) and that it’s finally time to jump in with both feet and see what Jesus Christ wants to really do in and through you for the rest of your life? When are you going to start to take seriously the responsibility you have as a partner and member of the Body of Christ where all parts must work together for Christ’s work to be done in mission and ministry.

As far as your relationship with Jesus Christ, when is a question you need to take seriously. When is Christ going to truly become the captain of your life? When is prayer going to be something as natural as breathing and as frequent as your next breath? When will you finally decide that you’ve waited on the fringes of the Christian life long enough and that it’s finally time to jump in with both feet and see what Jesus Christ wants to really do with the rest of your life?

Answer the “when” question with Christ and you will begin to see some exciting things happen as you move faithful step by faithful step along the road St. Paul calls the “race (of faith) that is set before us.” Exciting things will start to happen for all of us because you’ve made a new commitment to the work of the Body of Christ and our movement toward the “prize” of mission and ministry. Exciting things will start to appear as we persist in not being detoured by circumstances, but only focusing on God’s work through our hands in mission and ministry.

Joining you in the race!

T. O. M.