Finish Your Race

I ran cross country for three years during high school, and there was only one race I began I didn't finish.  It was my first competitive race in year 9, an invitational (basically a tune-up race) which looped around Lindo Lake in Lakeside, California.  About a mile in I rolled my ankle pretty good, and I wasn't interested to hobble the rest of the course.  What was the point?  Admittedly at that time I was quite out of contention for what I imagined to be a respectable finish, so I sheepishly limped back to my team's area.  It never set well with me that I quit.  In reality I could have pushed on, but the shame of quitting on that day seemed less than finishing last.  Because it was me, I can say plainly it was selfish pride - not a bum ankle - which truly kept me from finishing that day.

Whenever I see the courageous finishes of many of the Olympic athletes in Rio, I admire the drive and tenacity to finish no matter what.  Finishing - not placement - is of fundamental importance.  If a runner or swimmer does not finish, it would be impossible to place.  Seeing athletes limp in pain on torn ligaments, determined to complete the race no matter the cost, reminds me of my own failure and makes me resolved to never again repeat it.  Our bodies have physical limits, and it is brave and courageous to endure difficulty to reach the end regardless if we are proud of our time or not.  Pride can keep a man going or be the very reason why he quits.

Just this week I heard a message by Joe Focht from Calvary Chapel Philly and he referenced a marathoner named John Stephen Akhwari of Tansania.  He ran the marathon in the 1968 Olympics hosted by Mexico and he was the last to finish - though there were 17 who were physically unable because of the heat.  During the race Akhwari fell and badly injured his knee but he kept on going.  Asked why he bothered to finish the race when he was so far behind the leaders, in so many words he said his country hadn't sent him across the world to start a race, but to finish it.  This was not mere sentiment for the man, but demonstrated by someone who walked and jogged miles terribly damaged to fulfill them.  Even when the medical staff encouraged him to bow out, he was out to finish.  And he did.

For people of Christian faith, we realise God has stretched before each of us the remainder of our lives on earth like a marathon course before a runner.  We are all called by God to run our own race and persevere in faith and love in tough times, even when taking a single step is excruciating.  Unlike a competitive runner who is disqualified when assisted by a spectator, we are helped and ministered to by the Holy Spirit and Jesus who lifts us up and strengthens us to diligently persevere.  Hebrews 12:1-3 says, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."  Perhaps you have noticed that in this race of life many bystanders are not urging us to continue or cheering us on.  They scorn and mock those who follow Jesus, hurling insults.  The enemy of our soul whispers to us, "Go ahead and quit.  You're not making progress anyway.  What's the point of finishing when you're not as good as others?"  There are times our own bodies beg us to quit, seemingly desperate to give up because it is all too hard.

Who will you listen to, believer?  Are you determined to finish the race with joy God has set before you?  You can!  Though very few of us could be termed "world-class" competitors, we can all know the feeling of crossing the finish line a winner by the grace of the God and the power of the Holy Spirit.  We don't need to cast furtive glances over our shoulder to see if anyone will catch us, but with our eyes on Jesus we can push hard to the finish line with a strong kick.  Don't ever quit loving God and others, Christian.  Keep running your race for God's glory and see it through to the end.  Let's run in God's winning way.  It will be hard, and it will hurt.  But God will help and heal us.  He has promised to provide strength so we can run without being weary and walk without fainting.  Would to God all His people could say along with Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."  Praise God we can experience the same victory too by His grace.

Bringing the Hidden to Light

This afternoon I read the words of Jesus Christ in Mark 4:21-23:  "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? ²² For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Jesus had just explained to His disciples the meaning of the Parable of the Sower, how the seed is the good Word of God sown into the hearts of men of various conditions.  Though a farmer couldn't explain exactly how a seed germinates and grows into a living, fruitful plant, time would clearly reveal of what sort a seed was.

Lamps are lit for the purpose of shining light, and the farmer sows seed ultimately for the purpose of bearing fruit.  The farmer cannot see what is happening under the soil, and it would be disastrous for him to dig it up.  Time would reveal the type of soil the seed was sown in by the growth and fruitfulness of the plant.  When the Bible is sown into the hearts of people, the life of a person reveals their true character.  Sometimes in this life the truth isn't clear to everyone.  But a day unknown to us is coming when our bodies will die and our entire lives will be exposed before the holy God in heaven who will render to every man according to his works.  What has been kept secret - good or bad - will be brought into the light.

These words hit me afresh as I consider the passing of my friend Tim Martinsen.  We spent a year in school as apprentices together, and he worked as my apprentice for years following.  I can honestly say we were friends.  We quickly hit it off and enjoyed plenty of laughs, deep conversations, and experienced both fun and trying times together.  He was a funny guy and I have many fond memories of him.  It was a treasure to speak to Tim about things of God and celebrated his baptism in Mission Bay.  After I switched companies and began working in the shipyard in 2005, Tim and I saw far less of one another.  Leaving the trade altogether and then moving to Australia meant I saw him even less.  I was able to see Tim during a 2011 visit to the United States and I thank God for that opportunity.  It was a fantastic opportunity to catch up and rekindle our friendship at his home and meet his fiancee.  It proved to be the last time I would see him in this life.

When people we love pass away it goads us to consider the lasting implications of eternity.  King Solomon wrote of God in Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end."  There is an uncanny sense in the human heart there is more to life than our time on earth.  We wonder about what happens after we die, and the Bible reveals it is appointed for men once to die and then will face judgment by God (Hebrews 9:27).  All secrets will be revealed in that day.  My dear friend has entered eternity with two outcomes:  he will face the justice of God as an unbeliever to be judged according to God's Law or be judged as a child of God to determine if he will gain reward or suffer loss.  I am convinced Tim believed this to be true and his desire would be, in light of his passing, for all his friends and loved ones who remain to consider the implications of this as they live out their days on earth.  Our souls will spend eternity in heaven or hell.  It does man no good to gain the whole world and lose his own soul.  Only Jesus Christ can provide eternal life for souls.

How important it is to be born again through repentance and faith in Jesus!  The reality of this decision will be evident in the life of a person, and God is a righteous judge.  I know God loves Tim more than anyone on earth and has freely offered to forgive him of every sin and spend eternity with him in heavenly glory.  How awesome is that?  It is a terrible prospect to die alone, but God will never leave or forsake followers of Jesus.  He will hold our hand all through this life and into eternity.  Jude 1:24-25 says of our glorious Saviour, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. amen."  To think our corruptible bodies will put on incorruption and our mortal bodies will one day be clothed in immortality!  Instead of pain and sickness our bodies will be perfected and we will ever be in the presence of the LORD with exceeding joy.  This has been my desire for Tim and for you too!

Rest in peace brother.  I thank God for you, for the smiles, laughs, and friendship.  You are missed.

Receiving a Kingdom

"Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."

2 Corinthians 5:9-10

It is a fair question of every child of God to consider:  is it my aim to be well pleasing unto God?  Am I intentional in my choices to make choices which please God?  If we want to be accepted of God, we ought to live acceptably before Him.  And by "acceptable" I do not mean a minimal scraping by, but living in the way God completely approves.

The apostle John wrote in 2 John 1:8-9, "Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. ⁹ Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son."  Salvation and admission into heaven does not depend on mental assent to doctrine, but by being born again through faith in Jesus.  Genuine belief in God and His Word results in godly, biblical behaviour.  John was concerned people who claimed loyalty to Christ were self-deceived.  Jesus was not accepted of the Father because of His knowledge or doctrinal mastery, but because He always did what pleased the Father.  His righteous deeds were evidence of His righteous character.  As Christians ours is a faith that works, and if we do not labour in obedience to God we are not in the faith.  After each failure we are called to repent, cease sinning, and do what is right in God's eyes.

It is deeply concerning to me there are Christians who are content with merely going to heaven and seem to have no concept their lives will be evaluated by the living God.  We are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and those who are born again ought to have a fervent desire compelled by God's love to please God with their choices and efforts.  To be judged by God - even as a believer rightly understood - is a terrifying prospect.  It carries with it eternal consequences.  That is why Paul followed up with 2 Corinthians 5:11, "Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences."  The Judgment Seat of Christ does not determine if a person goes to heaven or hell, but I tell you the truth:  many people who imagine they will be brought before the Bema Seat of Christ will be facing the Great White Throne of judgment - where all who are brought before it are judged according to the Law and will be justly sentenced to hell for eternity.  If you are cavalier about being judged by God, there is a real possibility you don't know God.  This should be a very confronting prospect.

Since believers at the judgment seat of Christ will receive from God according to what each has done whether good or bad, which side would you prefer to be on?  From our perspective on earth our admittance into heaven is all gain, but the Bible tells us it is possible to suffer loss at the judgment seat of Christ.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to arrive at heaven and suffer loss.  Under the Law of Moses any spoil which could endure fire would be purified by fire (Numbers 31:23), and all our works at the judgment seat of Christ will be tried by fire.  Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 3:15, "If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."  Our lives have the awesome potential to provide great spoil for the kingdom of God and Christ's glory, and to suffer loss before God on an eternal stage is a shameful prospect.

For this reason, brothers and sisters, let us make it our aim to be well pleasing to God.  Jesus was not exalted above all names in heaven and on earth because of His knowledge, but because He humbled Himself.  He went to the cross in obedience to the Father.  Unless we are willing to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can't expect to have great reward in heaven.  The reality is, unless we are following Christ in obedience we may never make it there.  May our consciences be pure before a holy God as we choose to use our talents faithfully for His glory.  Jesus is coming suddenly and His reward is with Him.  Let us do our best to do our part to receive a full reward by God's grace.  As the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 12:28-29, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire."

Come When Called

Growing up we had several different dogs as pets.  All of them were trained to some degree, but none of them could be reliably trusted to run free off the leash.  We didn’t know better in those days, and we never managed to train them to come when called – despite dog obedience training.  When people came over to visit we had a “dog run” to contain them, to keep them from jumping on visitors.  If the gate to the back yard ever swung open, we had to act fast because ours were the sort of dogs who imagined it was a fun game to remain just out of reach and lead us on a slow chase down the block.  It was unimaginable we could take them to Dog Beach or to a park and let them off the lead.  It simply wasn’t worth the grief.

I was reminded of my childhood pets when a friend told me about how Australian Blue Heelers are sometimes trained.  A common method is to take an older, well-trained dog and connect their collar to a younger, untrained dog.  The trained dog will respond instantly to the commands of his master and literally drag the other dog along.  After a while the younger dog will begin to connect the commands of the master with the action performed by the trained dog.  Simply by obedience to his master the older dog effectively trains the other.

The life of the trained sheep or cattle dog running around a green pasture and the dog cooped up in the dusty dog run are quite different.  Perhaps my dogs imagined they had a bit of freedom when their escaped our yard, only to be caught and corralled moments later.  It is the dog who can be trusted to immediately come when called by his master that can be trusted to go everywhere with him: to the beach, the park, to be sent out into a large field to gather up the flock or herd.  Under the watchful eye of his master, what freedom the reliable and trained dog has!  Before God, I want to resemble the obedient dog which can be trusted to do his master’s work.  I want to be faithful to be about my Father’s business, quick to respond to discipline with humility and repentance, like the dog a master would choose to link with an untrained dog because he is trustworthy.

Which sort of dog do you resemble:  the one which needs to be kept on a short lead or in the dog run or one the master can direct to do his will in a pasture without fences?  Be grateful when God sees fit to train you, even when it feels like you are being dragged all over the place, losing your footing, and when you are weary from running.  Even as a good shepherd knows how to train his sheep dog, God knows how to train and develop His faithful servants.  Learn how to run side-by-side with faithful ministers of Jesus Christ, and I don’t mean pastors only.  There are countless faithful servants of the Most High who are not called to pastoral or teaching ministry.  Someday the lead will come off and you will need to choose if you will obey God’s commands or strike off on your own, doing your own thing.  It is in obedience to God we experience our greatest freedom and joy.

Jesus chose His disciples, going to their place of work whether they were mending their nets or sitting at their desk.  It didn't matter if they were alone in their boats or if the hired servants were there.  Without explanation or apology Jesus simply said to them, “Follow Me.”  Jesus Christ comes to you right now wherever you are and says the same thing.  Will you come when called?  There will always be a high cost of following Christ, for it is the voluntary surrender of your entire life to God’s control and guidance.  To refuse Christ’s call, however, is far more costly.  There are a lot of Christians who resembled bored, lazy dogs in dusty kennels when they could be running free doing what they were bred to do.  I can tell you our greatest aspirations and dreams are little more than a dusty dog run compared to the green, sun-swept pastures where God will establish you.  There will be rainy days, cold mornings, and windy nights which at times never seem to end, but we can always have the comfort of sleeping by our Master’s side and the excitement about the next thing He calls you to do with Him.