Off Track!

Recently, it was my birthday, and I wanted to buy a pass to watch the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships in Jamaica. For those who don’t know, this is the most recognized track and field event for high schools in the world. So, I really wanted to watch it online, but I am limited in funds being a missionary. And for me this pass would be a luxury item, which I could do without. However, when my cousin heard how stressed I was when the championship started and I was trying to find clips online but couldn’t, she told me she would get the pass for me. I was so excited. I was watching all the time for four days after missing the opening day. I even brought my phone to watch the finals while I was at an evangelistic course. The upside is that I watched less news, but the downside was that I prayed less. I was spending less time in God’s presence. I started realizing that if I had the money to do what I wanted whenever I wanted then I would go off tack as I would be distracted from spending time with God as I would be indulging in my pleasures. I thanked God for having limited income because this has given me the opportunity to keep Him in focus more.

The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. Luke 8:14

God in His infinite mercy has kept me away from riches knowing I couldn’t handle it because I would be concerned about living the good life. Now, I am not saying that God doesn’t want us to enjoy ourselves because He does. He delights in His children, and He wants us to delight in Him and in turn He will give us our heart’s desires. However, when we are delighting in Him our desires are aligned with His desires, not our fleshly pleasures. On the other hand, having riches can hinder us from following God. Remember, the rich young ruler?

And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. Matthew 19:16-22

This young man grieved because He could not follow Jesus as it was more than keeping rules. It was giving all he had, and he would not give up all His property. After he left, Jesus told His disciples that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven and that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  Following Jesus requires a willingness to give up everything and everyone.

“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Luke 4:26-27

If we cannot leave everything and everyone behind to follow Jesus, then we cannot truly be His disciples. Following Jesus can cost much, even to the point where we lose our lives. Yet, it is the most significant thing we could every do despite the discomfort and inconvenience. C.S. Lewis wrote in, Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community, “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.” I certainly wouldn’t either. And the lyrics from John Newton’s song, I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow, would suggest he doesn’t believe that Christianity is comfortable either.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed

Intent to aggravate my woe;

Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,

Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,

Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?“

‘Tis in this way, the Lord replied,

answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ,

From self, and pride, to set thee free;

And break thy schemes of earthly joy,

That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

Have you every cried out to God and things get worse? This is because He loves us, and He is answering our prayers in ways we may not understand. He wants us to seek Him and have a deep relationship with Him, so He might take away the same things we have been asking Him to let us keep. He has a disdain for pride as it puffs itself over Him. Therefore, He will crush our pride so that we will humbly serve Him. The Lord will take away all our earthly pleasures so that He becomes our all and we find our joy in Him alone. He will frustrate our plans, so they go off track to get us back on track with Him because of His enormous love for us.