Projects

A few months ago we bought our first home in Charleston, South Carolina. When we moved in I immediately noticed a few projects I wanted to get working on. The more projects we take on the more ideas pop inside my head. What is it about a project that can focus our mind?

I think projects get us excited because we see progress and the end result. There's a start, a finish, and a time to appreciate what we've accomplished.

What makes our walk with God so difficult is that it has all the characteristics of a real relationship. In relationships there is a start, but there never seems to be a finish. If there is a finish, it involves a breaking of that relationship. Since we never intend to break our relationship with God, we are never done.

That's a hard thought. I mean, it's nice to know God's never done with us, because He knows how much work we need. But it's hard work knowing that everyday we need to put in time with God, no matter what kind of mood we're in, so that we can keep pressing forward.

Paul talks about running a race (1 Corinthians 9). I can only imagine the finish line is when we die and are brought to heaven. I guess that makes sense, but if that's the case, this is one long marathon.

So what's my point?

My point today is simple... run the race like it's a marathon. Don't get burned out or lose hope. Too often it seems people fail to understand that in a marathon it is not the person who flies out of the gate ahead of everyone else who wins (or even finishes), but the people who know how to pace themselves. In addition, marathon runners often stick together, because everyone needs other people to help them keep their own pace.

We aren't followers of Christ for a season, for a few years, or while our children are growing up and need "moral fiber". We follow Christ until we take our last breath, whenever that may be. Only then can we look back upon our finished work and appreciate all God has done with us.

Wes