I was watching a show about marathon runners. Many get up early every morning, eat only certain foods, have a time of meditation and then exercise and run... they run until they can run no more and they do it day after day. They have trained hard for their day and all of them are determined to run the race and win. They have tremendous discipline... and for what... to win... a race?
Spiritual discipline has been lost in the misunderstanding of grace and works and to make things worse, discipline is often tried by those without the seed within to accomplish it, which confuses those who do have the seed.
Christ promised that He would give those chosen eternal life if we seek it. Are we as determined as these runners to dig deep within us to obtain this pearl of great price that God has promised us? Eternal life, as was said, is the Greek word AIONIOS ZOE - "the life that pertains to the age," which under the context means, "the life that pertains to the age to come - eternity." Eternal life is a heavenly life we can live on earth, which is the grace of love, peace, joy, longsuffering, kindness, goodness and faithfulness! What other things pertain to eternity - to heavenly life? How about the power of seeing the past and future, seeing the spirit world, knowing things normal people would not know, or having authority over the elements?
God, by His grace, has placed this life within those who ask for it and He is telling us to dig deep to find it. He wants us to want it like a runner who goes through the pains of training to win the race.
If we knock, He will answer. If we seek, we will find. Dig down and grab that pearl. It is His good pleasure to give His children the kingdom, but we must want it with a passion. Seek it now while the day is bright and all is well, for the strength gained today will be needed for tomorrow.
The Kingdom of God is like a father who has given his youthful son great words of wisdom. When his son becomes an adult he goes to his father for advice about troubles at work and his father says, "You have what you need within you, my son. This trial will bring it out of you. Had you heeded my words in the past you would have been prepared for this day and the trial would not be. But yesterday is gone and today is with its trials. Trust me, your troubles will fill you with strength that you know not that you have. Trust life's processes and all will be well. Remember your up-bringing and your future trials will be less."
Do we spend sleepless nights wondering how we are going to get that promotion? Do we strive for that house on the lake and that nice car? Seek first the Kingdom of God and His
righteousness and He will give us all we need. But... what is it that we really need? Our future will test our heart and give us the answer. We must seek... now... with all our hearts and keep our spiritual priorities pure. The eternal powers flow through, and are controlled by, the eternal graces.
The key though, is that no amount of
striving will get us where we need to be
unless God has prepared us, and if He has,
the above will encourage us to rest
and go the next mile that we must go. As
we experience those He has not pre-
pared... let not their striving confuse or
distract us. They cannot see. One day
they will.
