A drifter or a runner?

I haven't been able to get yesterday's sermon off my mind - so I guess that means it's time to write : ).  It was one of those sermons that caught me on the first sentence and I knew God was yanking on my ear : / ~ ever happen to you?!

The passage from I Cor. 9 was all about running the race and staying motivated.  And that's the first reason that it got my attention.  Because I've been living in Heb. 12 for the past few weeks ~ trying to learn how to "run with perseverance the race marked out for me".  And frankly, I've been having a hard time staying motivated!  And it occurred to me on Sunday morning that one of the reasons is because I'm MUCH better at drifting than at running : ).

If given a choice between these two options: 1. Would you rather take a leisurely drift down the river in an inner tube? - or 2. Would you like to run a long, grueling race? - I would pick the inner tube EVERY time.  That's my idea of fun : ) ~ drifting!  But that's the second reason this sermon grabbed my attention.  Because he started out with this thought: "Whenever you drift, you NEVER drift toward holiness!"  Shoot : / .  Because that's exactly what I was hoping for : ). 

The truth is, I know the Christian life is a journey - that's what I titled this blog!  But I don't really like to think of it as a race - because I'm not particularly fond of running : /.  (I always hated gym class!)  The problem is, when you put these two passages together (I Cor. 9 and Heb. 12), it doesn't leave you much wiggle room: "Run in such a way as to get the prize" ~ "go into strict training" ~ "beat your body and make it your slave" ~ "run with perseverance".  It's plain to see that this is no leisurely walk in the park.  God has called us all to be serious runners.  But if I don't really like running, what's gonna motivate me to give up my inner tube?

Well, that's how he ended the sermon: "Drifting is easy ~ and you can even make good time doing it.  The problem is that you end up somewhere you never wanted to be."  And I say, the other problem is, there's no prize at the end of that line.  When I remember that my maturity and God's glory and the strength of His message are all at stake, suddenly my inner tube doesn't look so inviting.

So today I ordered myself a little bracelet (jewelry has always been the key to my heart!) that I plan to wear every day to remind myself that I'm a runner - and there's an amazing prize at the end of this race that's worth running for.  So out with the inner tube - on with the running shoes.  And expect more blogs about the race ~ I think God's probably got alot more to teach me on this one!

p.s.  Thank you, Glen!