I think racism is an evil tool of the enemy to divide God’s favorite creation among itself. I absolutely detest it! I don’t think you can genuinely be following Jesus’ commands to love your neighbor as yourself and love your enemy if you are a racist. It doesn’t work out. It doesn’t make logical sense. Racism is a man trying to serve two masters–it doesn’t work (I should clarify that when I said man, I meant man or woman; I respect equality of the sexes, but in case you didn’t know, I happen to be a man as well as somewhat habitually egocentric, so I often write referencing men…moving on). There will be people of every race in heaven, by the way. I hate to burst the bubble of a few people, but that is what the Bible is talking about when it says people of every tribe, nation and tongue. So, as much as I hate racism, that is not actually what this blog is about…If you are lucky enough you will get a firey, sarcastic, somewhat sociological yet probably offensive blog about that from me later on in my journey.
Today you get what I learned from running my half marathon (it was a race…see what I did there?).
Besides getting a super cool family experience, since my Dad, Step-Mom, Brother, Sister-In-Law, and I all went to Dallas for the Rock and Roll Dallas Half Marathon, I got a few new nuggets of wisdom. I know you guys don’t really care, and I know you aren’t dying to know what sort of silly new piece of elementary wisdom I have, buuuut I thought I’d tell you anyway.
One of the many things I have been trying to focus on in order to become a better version of Chris is…well…I don’t even think I have a one word summary for it. I have just been really trying to focus on enjoying the moment. Whatever circumstance I find myself in, I want to enjoy it–Right then. Right there. So often do I catch myself being focused on other things in any given moment. I’m too rarely Here Now. In this moment I am worried about the last and thinking about the next. Its a trick of the enemy. He muddles my focus so that I can’t see that everywhere around me there is a divine appointment.
I don’t believe in coincidence–My God is too big for that crap. Nothing happens on accident. He is huge enough to know every combination and permutation of possibilities in our lives and know them all maticulously while still giving his beloved creation the incomperable gift of free will. So while we have the opportunity (or freedom) to do what we choose (or will), he still knows everything that can/could/will/would happen no matter what. We don’t ever do anything to surprise him. That being said and understood: There is no such thing as divine appointments. That is to say, no particular appointment is above another in importance because our God is so enormously intricate that all appointments are divine.
God has been teaching me to do this in so many ways, and it has been a journey.
One way he really spoke to me is through Be Present by one of my favorite artists and humble beasts: Propaganda. Check it out if you got some time; it will be down below the text. If you want to, go check it out now.
The second way he really slapped me and told me to focus on each moment is through my good friend Emma’s (@emmapmeek) recent tweet:
How many times a day do I miss the moment? The moment, which is, at its most basic description, a devine appointment? It could be nothing more than a smile on my face showing off the joy of the Lord to some unbeliever nearby, but I miss it. I miss it.
So here I am, finally getting to the part about the race. All that prior stuff was the conviction-bombs the Holy Spirit had been dropping on me before my run, but on race day, I got my nugget of wisdom. (Conviction-bombs is my word, but yeah, I’ll let y’all use it).
While we run our race, what do we tend to focus on?
The pain?
The distance?
The route?
The future?
The other runners?
The cheerleaders?
The surroundings?
Our blessings like water or Clif fuel Block (praise God for Clif fuel Blocks, Amen?)?
What is it that takes our focus while we run the race?
The better question is: What is that thing in light of the overwhelming goodness of God? Listen, when I say goodness, I don’t mean your weak, run-of-the-mill, everyday english, overused version of goodness. I am talking about Elohim’s Goodness–comprised of neverending grace, relentless mercy, bottomless forgiveness, bountiful blessings and the most unconditional love. Come on somebody, if that doesn’t get you excited you need to get your heart checked.
Now tell me, what is the pain of our race in light of who God is–the healer?
What is the future in light of who God is–the provider?
What is the route in light of who God is–the shepherd?
While I was running my half marathon, this is the wisdom and revelation God was blessing me with. And let me tell you, any spectators had to be wondering what was wrong with me, because I was thanking everybody for cheering, volunteering or supporting, and smiling the whole dang time. My God is too good not to be smiling. He is too good not to monopolize my focus. And when he does finally become that–the center of my focus–all of a sudden life looks a lot like a series of moments that are divinely appointed, each and every one.
He is teaching me to be present in this moment and enjoy it for all it is worth, constantly seeking those divine encounters. Even if the appointment is a nonbeliever just walking past me and wondering why I have a goofy-looking grin on my face. Because isn’t that how God works? He constructs our lives in a series of devine encounters just to bless somebody by our smile or plant seeds through over-heard conversations.
And just for everyone’s information and my own personal ego (which needs no boost): The race that God used to teach me that was 13.1 miles that I ran in 1:47. Bless God for miracles and life lessons. Now go over to the left and put in your email address to get updates every time I post a new blog, because the next one hinges directly on this one, and I promise you that you do not want to miss it. It’s dropping bombs.
