Hope for Life Blog

You climb 294 steps up a steep winding staircase; that is how you get to the top of the Bunker Hill monument. At first I thought it was amazing how the view from the top had these little black dots jumping all around. Then I realized something was not right. Shock of all shocks…I am out of shape. I should not be that way. I resolved to get in shape. Even better, I decided to do something great. I think I’ll run a marathon.

It is not as easy as I thought. The first day I got up to run, it was really too cold. The second day I was pretty tired from the day before. The third day I did not feel too well. Then one of my co-workers had a birthday so we had to have Cheesecake. I would have skipped it but I didn’t want to be rude. And it is embarrassing to be different than every one else.

I did, however, buy some really good running shoes. I even bought some nice workout clothes. They look good in the closet.

It strikes me that some of us treat our spiritual lives the same way. We have really good intentions, we even make really strong commitments, but the follow through is the tough part. There are always other things to get in the way. We have work responsibilities, family commitments, and there are only so many hours in a day. Temptations keep us from focusing on our goal.

Yet … we can still look like we are committed Christians. We go to church, act pretty well, and say the right things. But nothing really changes. Jesus did not die so we could play at our Christianity. His call is to die so we can live a new life.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live .but Christ, lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

It is radical! All out! Everything or nothing Christianity.

So what do you think? Is the demand for this kind of discipleship too much to expect?

steve