isn't it funny

so, the story goes: i was just about to fall asleep tonight when i got a call from one of my best friends. tonight he was fired up from being home for two days and having some restoration time with Jesus. he's started reading "wild at heart" (which, if you are a boy, man, guy, whatever, and you haven't read this book, DO IT!!!) anyways, he's been reading "wild at heart" which basically talks about how guys, in their innermost being, were created to be MEN. and on a grander scale, to be MEN, DANGEROUS MEN of God. and i think as a people, God has called us all to be like that, ladies too. our 45 minute conversation could best be summed up like this:

What if, as Christians, we were known for the way we LOVE people. not for what we stand against. instead of making what's supposed to be a personal relationship with a pretty amazing God into a list of do's and don'ts, what if we just passionately fell in love with Jesus and let the rest fall into place. i think the writer of Hebrews said it better than i could, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and let us RUN THE RACE that has been marked out before us" and, not just that this is a verse about racing, which i love, but i think he makes a good point here. if you've ever been part of the racing scene...real, road, on your feet, one foot in front of another racing, you know that it's not just this passive event that you go out and do on a sunday afternoon. it is a real battle that goes on between your muscles and your body and your mind. you're pushing yourself to a whole new limit and beyond even that to a point where you literally feel like you're going to die. but you wouldn't dare give up because, as painful as it is, at the same time, it's the best feeling in the entire world and you would rather die than stop...
what if our relationship with Christ were like that??? what if i were so passionately in love with Jesus, that i would love my daily walk the same way i love to run. and even on the days where i just don't "feel like it," i do it anyways because i would rather die than go a day without spending time with my Savior. i think that if i devote myself whole-heartedly to falling in love with God, then everything else will fall into place...things such as not having a quiet time or not witnessing to my friends will become a moot point because if i am 100% devoted to my cause, i would automatically be doing these things. i think this is what Jesus was really trying to say in Matthew when he said "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength...All the law and the prophets rest on these commandments."

the other thing i think the writer is trying to say is, although we are being watched, which we constantly are, the race we are running is a personal battle. we can't let others dictate to us how we feel or how our relationship with God should look like. all that we are called to do is run after God as best we can and trust Him to take care of the rest. if my God has called me to be a physical therapist, then dang it, i'm going to be the best darn PT that this world has ever seen, no matter what anyone else says. even if everyone else on the planet thinks i should be a missionary, teacher, or whatever. i would not "stoop to be a king" in the words of a good friend.

this life that my God has called me to is not some mamsy-pansy, flowers and rainbows type of lifestyle. it is a dangerous adventure, better than any plot that indiana jones would even dream about being a part of. and i can't wait to see where it takes me.

to top it all of, after i got off the phone, one of the better episodes from last year's 24 came on, so i'm going to go indulge myself in some way overdue quality time with jack bauer. i think that's enough to chew on tonight. night ya'll!