“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” Pr0verbs 4:25-27
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” 1 C0rinthians 9:24
Lately, i have spent a good amount of time thinking about why i continue to sin. i don’t mean just accidental slips of the tongue either. What concerns me even more are those instances when i have—by His gr@ce—a brief moment of clarity and clearly see the straight and narrow path, yet i then choose to
lay on the horn out of frustration
throw a pity party because i didn’t get my way
talk down about shortcomings of others
count my happiness as more important than helping others
count my comfort as more important than telling others
harbor anger over the most trivial of trespasses
say the sarcastic reply that wounds my wife
willingly, knowingly sin.
i avoid gr@ce.
This is what has been bothering me. It is really a terrifying thought that i would willingly sin in the presence of The H0ly G0d and seemingly shirk the gr@ce set before me. When given the glorious gift of life, it seems as though my body still craves death. It’s self-satisfying, self-gratifying, self-destructive. To a degree, i guess on this side of heaven we won’t be able to fully understand, as shown by Paul’s discourse in R0mans 7 where he struggles in doing what he doesn’t want to do and not doing what he does want to do. It would appear that we are locked in a constant battle against the darkness in this world. But, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try, right? If there is “no condemnation for those who are in Chr1st J3sus,” then let this fuel us in our pursuit toward the Father.
In thinking about how to live in light of this, Paul’s analogy of running a race seemed so fitting. When you run, you are focused, determined, driven. You only take note of those things directly in your path. You don’t notice what may be on your right or left. If you are really running the race to win, your eyes are on the finish line, and you are giving all you have to get there as fast as you can. Staying in your lane is almost effortless as your gaze on the end draws you forward.
When we slow in our pursuit of G0d, we begin to take notice of our surroundings. Creation is beautiful and contains many tempting rest stops, but if you stop, you don’t finish the race. When you become concerned with those things around you, energy is stolen from the task at hand. Looking to the crowd in the stands for approval, looking to see those who have fallen behind you, looking anywhere except the finish line will always hinder.
i am prone to look elsewhere. prone to seek approval. prone to see who i am faster than, better than. prone to see if i might be missing out on some “good” thing because i was running. But we know the truth. The gr@ce at the finish line is far greater than any of the fleeting pleasures that can so easily entangle us. As we dwell upon this grace that has already been purchased for us, it will continue to grow more precious in our sight. This loving grace is the energy that propels us onward. We have been promised a crown if we endure to the end. There is a joyous hope set before us. There is nothing to gain by slowing in the race, but there is everything to lose. Our H0ly Father, the Creator, the Sovereign G0d is standing at the finish line, crown in hand extending grace. So next time the temptation to sin arises, choose gr@ce. Press forward. Don’t give an inch. Eyes on Father. And run.
