What you looking at?

Its a little after 4.30pm now and just got back to the flat. There is a slight drizzle outside which aint enough to get you wet but just enough to give you a cold. So for me am staying indoors, got my fleece on no colds for me this time around. Just been mulling over the some of the things I heard yesterday and felt I should share with you all.

I've always loved swimming all my life, was once quite a good swimmer when I was in junior school. I was best at the breast stroke (or the frog as we used to call it ), and my dad used to come to most of my swimming meets and spur me on and encourage me. There was this other mate of mine who always used to wonder why it was that I beat him. If it came to him swimming on his own he always used to have the best time, but when it came to competitions he always used to come in second best (to me..... :o) ). So being the good mate I am I asked my dad to look out for my friend and see what he was doing wrong in competition that he got right in practice. So my dad called this guy after our competition (he came second again....), and he says to him 'Everytime he takes a breath out of the water he looks at the other competitors and hence loses ground'.

Isn't that so true with our race as people who love God? Was thinking of it today as a worship leader how that's even more true. When you leading a one of the bands at your church and you guys don't have the musical prowess, or just gel as much as the other band, the need to perform sets in. Or maybe you are an amazing sound person and you've done the job well each time you've been there and some young hot shot props up who can do better than you. Doesn't the need to perform and outdo the other guy just set in? It's so easy to take our eyes from the end point, where our race as Christ followers becomes more about us than the person we are meant to be following.... Jesus. So I ask you today, 'What you looking at?'

Was just so helpful yesterday listening to Dave Holden (one of the leaders from church in London who is part of New Frontiers). He was just encouraging us from Hebrews 12:1-2

  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." 

Its so interesting that a verse you have heard so many times can have fresh meaning in life, just goes to show how God's word is eternal. I digress, so anyway back to races, verse " really caught my attention and the first part of it simply says lets "Fix our eyes on Jesus". Fixing our eyes on Jesus is so important because he is our prize, he is our motivation, he is only thing we can fix our eyes on that will not corrupt us. Sad thing is today a lot of us lose sight of Jesus and inadvertently fix our eyes on something else. It may be things that are bad for us, like drugs, or a pop idol but most of the time its the things we never think of the good things, like relationships, academics (for all my fellow students), career, family, children, even 'serving God'. It's funny how our lives become so entwined by these thats we make God small. By failing to magnify Him we magnify everything else (never thought of it that way...). Let's not become too busy for God, I have become so aware of it in recent weeks, I am able to lead worship, go to church, do my work, but never spend time worshiping God for who He is.Isn't that what most of our lives have boiled down to, doing God's work and forgetting to see God. It's like a spouse who provides everything for his/her significant other, be it providing financially or making sure clothing is ironed and food is ready everyday but that person is never there. Never has time to watch telly with you, or sit at the table and talk, wow what a sad marriage that would be. Don't you think we doing the same thing with God, having time to sing songs on a Sunday, or help out as an usher but never having time for worshiping Him for who He is.

This was such a timely message for me as I move into the next two weeks where I need high grades and 30hours in a day. But feeling God's saying to me and to you, I'm the only audience you are playing for, swim in that water like there's noone around.

love, peace and happiness

Tau