before him, I AM

I've always been one to love sports, and more appropriately the act of getting "in shape." There is something mystical about putting your body to limits that intrigues me and actually, at times, drives me. I often miss the intense nausea which accompanies the moments before football games. I love pushing me body on hill climbs to where it feels like I will pass out in any given blink of time. Call me sick... I like this stuff.

I had a realization today though that knocked me off my feet a bit. It's this. As much as I love to push my body to new limits, I can't say the same for my body and spirit. That is, why won't I push my mind to exhaustion...? and more importantly, why won't I seek the ultimate thrill of knowing Jesus to the full extent possible...? I'm constantly starving myself, not of physical food, but instead of the essential nutrients I need in my spiritual life. In other words, I'm getting fat.

So, I sat down and read a few of my most treasured passages from the Word like Colossians 1, 1 John (the whole book), and Matthew 7. I was reminded of a Jesus who never leaves, never betrays and never fails. I was reminded of the deep and intense desire I have to be in spiritual shape too. I sat down to write and thought about Jesus. Who is he...?

He is the first born over all Creation. He was sent to the Earth by his Father, the Father and Holy of Holies, in order to redeem humanity from sin. He himself was sinless and walked a path of righteousness his entire life. He was born to the Virgin Mary and became flesh such that he might live among us and with us. He was an ordinary man, a carpenter. Ironically, it was us who put him to death by using hammers to nail him to a cross. But death could not hold him. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. He conquered death on behalf of our sin, so we might live. Though we are not worthy, we have life. He ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father. Before being nailed to the wood, he performed miraculous signs and miracles. He healed blind men and lepers and the sick. He forgave sins. He taught in parables about marriage and money and greed and patience and forgiveness and virtue and character and most commonly love. He preached love and knowledge of the Father more than anything else, in fact, he is the essence of love. He believed love, walked love, breathed love and lived a life of love, even until his death when after being arrested, tried and sentenced , he still forgave those who actually nailed him to the cross. He was and is God, has been from the beginning and will be to the new beginning. He is the Redeemer, the Son of the Most High, the Alpha and Omega, the Sacrificial Lamb, the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the glory of things yet to come and there is no other like him.

It's not much. But it is and was in my own words. Now I must not prepare for the 100m dash, but for the marathon of faith, the Ironman of spiritual growth.