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So the football (read: soccer) world cup just ended. How many of us followed it? I myself do not follow soccer as I prefer to play it, but I can imagine the fervour of spectators, the elation of a goal and the incessant buzzing of vuvuzelas. Now don’t get me wrong. I get emotional watching the State of Origin too. But this elation and fervour is emotional.
In the soccer world cup, the goal for teams is to win the tournament and gain the glory of victory. For everything else, there’s MasterCard! ...Just kidding. As Christians we are called to run the race – the marathon – that we may reach the goal and gain the prize; by His grace alone, eternal life in heaven. Heaven is a place of endless bliss, happiness and contentment. Heaven is a place where there is no darkness and no sadness. Heaven is where we can spend the rest of eternity with God.
How can we keep our eyes on the goal?
We must live in the now and in the world, but not live FOR the now or be OF the world. We must affix our eyes on the prize that God has promised us. And we know that He will deliver, for ‘the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands eternal’ (Isaiah 40:8).
Quite often you will find that things of the world distract us. Exams; busy work; people around us; Facebook – these are some of the distractions that tug on our collars every day, pulling us away from God.
So we have our eyes on the goal, but how do w e keep striving and running the race?
We recently held a Praise and Worship Night – and this was a great opportunity for empowerment and spiritual revival, but how do we maintain this spiritual fervour and elation? These one off events can be a great opportunity for a huge surge of hype, but it does die down after a while if we do not maintain it. This is where our personal relationship with big-fella (a.k.a. God) comes in.
How often do you make best friends by meeting them once at a party and having an awesome time with them, and then not contacting them at all until months later when you see them again? Never. Our relationship with God is crucial to the marathon. Yes, He has promised the prize, but only those who truly, wholeheartedly believe in Him and walk in faith will gain it. We must continue to become closer and closer with God every day.
How can I become closer to God every day?
In short – devotion. We can go to church every week for Youth and Sunday Service to learn about God and His teachings, but if we don’t know Him personally, when His son Jesus Christ comes back, he’ll say “Who are you? I do not know you.” Devotion, in layman’s terms, involves reading God’s Word (the Bible) and praying. Praying is like talking to your best friend. If you do not communicate with God, how can you say (or sing) that He is your best friend?
Keep your eyes on the goal – eternal life with God.
Learn about God’s Word on weekends and try to read the Bible every day.
Pray and talk to God every day. He’s your best friend, right?
Peace out,
-Michael
PS: QLD Maroons 5 in a row!
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