| | 1/04/2009
Lessons from a Jetliner
After two weeks of relaxation and Christmas season fun, Stephanie and I set out on several connecting flights from frigid Michigan to sunny Texas. We both were exhausted from the early morning start to our journey and late night hurried packing. So as we boarded our connection flight from Detroit to Cincinnati, we were hoping to settle into a calm one and a half hour nap.
As the jet took us soaring above the early afternoon clouds we soon drifted off to sleep. Oh what bliss of post-nocturnal rest would be mine. However, just several minutes into my deeply satisfying slumber something jarred me awake. Directly in front of us sat a middle aged man and an equally aged woman, who from all indications had become newly acquainted on the flight. Only minutes into my slumber, they had become intensely involved in a discussion that is not at all uncommon in any circle – professional sports.
On and on they went, energetically describing every detail and statistic known to the wide world of sports on this happy Sunday afternoon. I am not exaggerating. Being an avid sports fan myself, I was truly shocked as these two average Americans exhaustively outlined their thoughts, predictions, and New Years projections for every major sport in the USA. From the NFL, to the NHL, from the NBA to the grand old MLB; on and on they detailed the most impressive knowledge bank I had heard on athletics in quite some time.
After forty-five minutes of non-stop, rapid exchange of Saturday’s highlights and Friday’s scores, I began to wonder if the woman was a sportscaster for the national media, but unfortunately none of her sideline tangents indicated such a theory. These two individuals appeared to be just normal, average citizens with a very common insatiable desire. For another solid hour, the exciting and highly informative debate continued. One would have to truly stand in amazement at the level of sheer knowledge, memorization, and mental capacity of these folks.
We are talking hard facts and sound, analyzed predictions for nearly two hours. This kind of thing just is conjured up on a whim. These two had obviously dedicated themselves to the insatiable desire of sports.
Taking the Lesson to Heart
As I leaned back in my chair, and pondered all the information that was pouring into my ears, a thought came that has been nagging me ever since. For many years I too had the same insatiable desire for any and everything related to sports. I rattled off dozens of batting averages, soaked in every inning, and intently watched every “period” and “quarter” of my favorite teams. At any moment’s notice I would proudly show off my prowess and throw out a few valuable and interesting statistics. I had an insatiable desire to know every single minute detail of every major happening in sports.
Yet, for me as a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord of the universe and in the Bible as God’s authoritative guide for all life, faith, and practice, I had OFTEN not even tried to know every thought, detail, and statistic in His Word. While so many of us, myself included, will pay hundreds of dollars to witness live action in a stadium with 30,000 other fanatics, and cover ourselves in clothing that shouts of our desire, we rarely if ever have that same insatiable, craving desire for the life-giving, power-imputing, authority granting Word of God.
Charles Spurgeon would often tell his young pupils in preaching that, “if you are cut, you ought to bleed the Word of God!” So often it is easy to skip over a paragraph or chapter simply because it “seems” or “feels” uninteresting. Yet would we do the same if we received in tomorrow’s mail next year’s playbook from every major coach in professional sports? I don’t think so. You and I would probably, first of all, proudly notify all our friends of what has come into our possession. Then secondly, we would intensely and intently study every sentence with excruciating detail. Do we have that same insatiable desire for God’s living Word?
How much greater should be our desire to know ever sentence in the Book that brought us out of death and into life! While millions gather around the world to shout, jump, and scream for other fallible human beings running or skating around on a tiny patch of God’s green earth, let us run with an insatiable desire for the very knowledge of the Holy One as found in His revelation to us – the Holy Bible.
I know for myself, I all too often become so easily engrossed in anything other than God’s Word. The Bible truly is a completed letter of love from our heavenly Father simply waiting to be read. The Psalmist, David, continues all throughout his writings with the passion he has for the Word of God and the courts of worship. Particularly, in Psalm 119:97 he shouts, “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Do you and I have this same longing for the Bible? Do we really think about and walk according to His Word “all the day?”
Unfortunately, for me the answer to this question is often, no. Yet, God calls us to this joyful life in His Word with emphatic command. David once again in Psalm 119 declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (v. 105).” Is God your first resort rather than your last when seeking guidance and direction for life? Every single word, phrase, and sentence has been specially designed and crafted by the Holy Spirit as the specific and perfect instruction for our lives. Therefore, it is our duty to be students of this Word through and through.
Perhaps for you, the desire is not sports, but rather movies, music, novels, fast cars, boating, politics, or even dare I say facebook and blogging. While none of these are inherently wrong, and certainly can be enjoyable and relaxing, to have an insatiable desire for these cannot be anything but wrong. I therefore urge myself as well as you, to shake yourself from the desires and wants that so easily divert us from the Word of Life.
Run hard in an insatiable desire for the Lord and His Word alone, and I promise you, the world around will know and see the difference. May God’s glory be known and His power be shown in and through your lives.
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith…” (Heb 12:1-2a)
In Christ Alone,
Michael Breznau |
| | Posted 1/9/2009 4:51 PM - 21 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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