Yesterday we enjoyed a great message from the current director of the Christian and Missionary Alliance of New Zealand, Rev. Andrew Marshall. He spoke from a well known passage about endurance, focus, and discipline found in the first two verses of Hebrews 12. It reads this way from the The Living Bible. "Since we have such a huge crowd of people of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us." Part way through his message he used a word that I had not heard anyone use for quite some time. Andrew spoke of a marathon runner being cheered on, stripped down to the bear essentials, running toward the finish line. Then he began to encouraged us to rid ourselves of anything that could hinder our marathon run of faith as we also head toward the finish line. He spoke of the Christians need of being nimble and the word lodged in my brain. To be nimble means to be quick and light in movement; moving with ease; agile, active; rapid. I began to think through my life wondering if the great crowd of people cheering me on would consider how I live my life, (i.e.how I run my race) and describe it as being nimble. As I reviewed the various activities, actions, attitudes and attributes of my life of faith it became painfully clear that there were things in my life that were keeping me from being a nimble runner. I confessed my need and began to formulate a plan for ridding myself of everything that weighs me down and keeps me from being the nimble runner that God desires me to be.
One of the greatest blessings in my life is the many wonderful and meaningful church services I have participated in where the word of God is preached well. Services where the whole atmosphere of the crowd of believers present is to meet with and eagerly worship our Great God. To hear the word, to let it sink, saturate, and stimulate my life and faith is such a privilege. Often after hearing the word I can recalibrate my life, move forward, run with less to weigh me down, becoming more and more nimble in the race that God has laid out before me. Thanks brother Andrew for being the Lord's servant yesterday morning as you faithful administered the Word of God to us.
3 comments:
Being nimble is a great image. It can apply to so many areas of our lives. How are you doing in the short week since you decided to become more nimble?
Good to see you are keeping yourself busy Kevin. hope all is well, we even bring your name up from time to time back here at the PFRS
@ Niki...doing GREAT thanks for asking :o)
@ James... great to hear from you James... hope all is going well with you and Sandy and family to. Truth be known PFRS still comes up in my thoughts often here to. I've tried a couple of times to get into the service here but I think they are a little bit shy of foreigners being on the squad... they are all kiwis. Anyway we are all doing great. Looks like I will be showing up this summer in peachland on my way through town. I am heading to northern Alberta to visit the folks. First time in 4 and a half years to be back in the true north...
great to hear from you mate!
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