standing and running

When our sons were growing up, we had fun outside birthday parties.  And included in them would be an obstacle course.  We had a big backyard, so we would lay out things they had to climb, run under, roll, and avoid.  And whoever completed the course the fastest won.  And the competition would be fun, and no one wanted to lose, the worst insult was being the slowest.  And all could compete, as the smallest could get through the obstacles faster, but the bigger kids could jump higher.  Making it fun for all, and it was all done in fun, and each year we had to come up with more inventive ways and new obstacles for them.  Perhaps the only time in life that an obstacle would be fun, later to find out life wasn’t the game they played that afternoon.

But kid’s games were a part of growing up.  Three legged sack races, carrying a spoon of water to fill a glass, and the egg toss-I was never good at this one, were all part of growing up as kids.  But one I never liked, was hucklebucklebeanstalk, where the teachers pet would hide an object, then the rest of the class would have to find it.  With the obligatory coaching of “you’re cold,” when you were far away, or “you’re hot,” when you were close to finding it.  Never being told it you were freezing cold, or red hot.  And then when someone spotted it, never me in all my school years, they walked to their seat, trying to decoy where they had seen it, and sitting down yelled “hucklebucklebeanstalk.”  And then it was back to school work, which after this stupid game was almost welcome.  Not sure who named this foolish game, but to this day I still have never been able to explain or exclaim “hucklebucklebeanstalk!”  Another game we played as kids was Giant Step, where you were given a command of giant step or baby step, then you responded “may I?” and you were given a yes or no, and how many steps to take.  A rigged game, as the one giving the commands could say whatever he wanted, only under threat of personal harm or being banned from kickball that night kept them honest, quasi-honest at best.  But we played on, inventing variations including Marco Polo, Red Rover, and Bill Cosby’s favorite, Buck Buck or Johnny on a Pony.  Fun games for kids, and was we got older, they became more aggressive, ending in Gorilla, where one boy stood in the middle of the yard, while the others ran at him, trying not to be tackled.  And as they were, they became the tacklers, until only one kid was left to run, and got creamed pretty good.  Learning early that it is all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

Philippians tells us that life is like a race.  That we are to run it to win, just like we did as kids.  But then Paul goes on to state that we should stand firm, confusing those who think they have this God thing figured out.  Much like running in place, or not like running in place, the life of a Christian is about growing in Christ, and as Jesus becomes more personal in our lives, we understand better what Paul means.  We are told that no one races to lose, and that like in racing, to finish first, we must first finish.  And life is that race, an endurance, not a sprint.  A marathon, that we daily compete in, and winning one day does not exempt us from the next.  The ISDT, International Six Day Trials, a motorcycle competition shows us that even if we do well one day, we still have to face tomorrow, and if we finished last today, we still have a chance to be a winner tomorrow.  Only at the end when the scores are totaled up do we see the outcome.  And this is what Paul is trying to tell us.  Stand firm in the faith, with Jesus Christ.  No matter the speed, run with Him, and stay the course.  Some times you will go less slow, some times rest, and some times sprint, each leg of the race requiring a different pace.  Standing and running, both at the same time-only in God is that possible.  And when running, we are not to run from, but run to Jesus, and into His loving arms, to lean on Him, to let Him bear our burdens.  Standing on the rock that is higher than I. 

I love to ride the cable cars in San Francisco, standing while waiting for them to approach and slow down, then running and jumping on.  And at first called them trolleys, until one local explained how they work, they are cable cars.  For underneath they have cable running over large pulleys, and it is the operator’s job to attach to the cable, allowing them to be pulled.  Both up and down the hills, taking skill timing, and some experience to master the craft.  We are like the operator, Jesus is the cable.  We need to latch onto Him, and allow Him to guide us, clinging to Him when life takes us up or down.  Resting in the in between times, but never letting go, never running on our own.  Always keeping in contact with Him, and always letting Him guide.  The cable or Jesus remaining a constant, just as Jesus is a constant in life, our choice whether to join in and when or not. 

Are you standing or running today?  Have you run to Him and found Him to be all you need, and are you standing firm on His word?  Or are you still looking for that hidden prize in life, still waiting to yell hucklebucklebeanstalk, hoping to win against others?  Have you won the race today, but still not sure what tomorrow brings?  Is your life an obstacle course, and you are just waiting to take a giant step to life?  Life is not a game, although it can be played as one.  And it is one that should be played to win, no second prizes in heaven.  No honorable mentions will get you in, you need to win the war against sin, and Jesus is the way.  You may not win every battle, and winning more than losing doesn’t guarantee heaven.  It is who you call on, who you let rescue you that makes a difference.  Standing firm with Jesus, and running to the prize, heaven.  Only He knows the course laid out ahead, and because He is the great shepherd can He protect you.  Join the team today, can you hear Him crying “Red Rover, Red Rover, send you over?”  Or are you still playing Gorilla, about to be the last kid running about to be tackled by the gang?  Life is full of obstacles, only Jesus is the way.  Run to Him now, let nothing stand in your way.  “Hucklebucklebeanstalk! I found Him!”  A game in which we can all be winners.  Take that giant step today. 

love with compassion,

Mike

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