Written By Dan

It was my observation while reading Deuteronomy that we are instructed to Love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind (Deuteronomy 6:5). Additionally, I noted considerable New Testament guidance on how to wrap your heart around God.

For example — Show earnestness in realizing the full assurance of hope to the end (Hebrews 6:11); Love one another earnestly from the heart (1 Peter 1:22); Strive to enter by the narrow gate (Luke 13:24); Labor for the food that endures to eternal life (John 6:27); Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the word of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58); Let us not be weary in well-doing, for we shall reap if we do not faint (Ephesians 5:15); and Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).

Additionally, Titus 2: 11-15 says — For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. (NIV)

How do we respond to this extensive set of guidelines from Scripture? We strive to be like Jesus. We labor to find his pace, his stride. We abound in hunger for scripture. We become zealous and earnest for the peace of God. We find the path away from laziness and lukewarmness. We take to the run, with the stride and confidence held by a winner. Jesus makes us a winner. For Jesus has placed this mantle of strength upon us to operate in this world but not be corrupted by this world. We immerse ourselves in the strength he supplies to magnify His glory.

So, what do we do? I think we are to lay aside the heavy load upon our backs, the sin of this world that surrounds and covers us like a heavy scratchy wool blanket. An experienced runners discards everything but what is necessary; this is also true for spiritual racing. Then we find our stride and enter the race. We run the race with patience and endurance. To run this race, I work to lay aside all the things that hinder me, that nip at my heals, I bring plans to guide my feet. The obstacles are there to keep me from being the man that God called me to be. The obstacles are there to neuter the calling I received from God. Then I need to bring up the more slippery obstacles. Paul referred to them as disputable issues.

Romans 14:1-4 says — Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

There will be things that people, convinced they know best, will impose on others, using vague scripture to make their case. We must be careful not to become entwined in disputes over vague issues. They are nothing more than speedbumps. Nothing more than obstacles to the plan.

I choose Jesus.