What’s with this On The Run series of posts, Christopher? Are you dodging someone? Have the authorities caught up with you?
There was a bit of what the Apostle Paul said to his son in the faith, Timothy, that made me stop and pay close attention to it and myself.
There is something about this advice that acknowledges something about the human condition. We are prone to run for two reasons. We run away from something we seek to avoid and we will chase something we desperately desire.
The advice Paul gives, however, is counter-intuitive. Evil desires of youth – not always what we perceive them to be and sometimes seen as rites of passage, sowing your seed, feeling your oats, part of what growing up is all about. With their association to youth there is that stage of life where you are working out things for yourself and seeking to establish your own identity. Taking instruction isn’t always a welcome activity especially if it challenges urges that others tell you are fine to explore and express however you want.
Paul can encourage Timothy in this way, however, because they have lived life together and Timothy has seen at close quarters how the gospel of Jesus Christ radically transforms and enables you to follow Jesus. Not only has Timothy seen it, but he knows from experience what it is to live that way. He knows what it is to pursue – chase after – those godly virtues that mark out a followers of Christ from someone who is just a fan.
It’s not just about running away from sin, it’s recognising the great worth of righteousness, faith, love and peace and as a result looking to gain that which you value over everything else. As you make it your ultimate pursuit it’s something worth leaving everything for and running after it.
No. I am not dodging any authorities or the like. I have a renewed desire to run for my life. Running in pursuit of righteousness is running for my life. Running in pursuit of faith is running for my life. Running in pursuit of love is running for my life. Running in pursuit of peace is running for my life.
That run should be something that keeps running and not just for me …
(Photo: Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 