"Abstract goals lead to abstract results" - Anon.
"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it on my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you." - Philippians 4:13-15
I have often been known to take time to daydream. (Also known as wool gathering, watching the cobwebs grow, etc.) Imagining the impressive charitable contributions I would make upon obtaining a massive fortune, after buying a house, yacht, three King Charles Cavalier puppies, and a small music studio somewhere on my own Caribbean island of course. Trouble is, I don't see that as a reachable goal at my point in life, and the path to that goal is somewhat obscure, to say the least. So I continue the course laid before me, and count it good that God has allowed me to provide shelter and food for my family, even in the midst of illnesses that have tried to put obstacles in my way.
Just so, being a Christian isn't about having a vague concept of goodness, or thinking you have "made it" so you can wool gather at will. Being a Christian is about believing something, and then living like you represent it. In the early days of Christianity, there were many different ideas about just what it meant to be a Christian. Anybody could say they were a follower of Christ, but just what was that supposed to mean? It was different with every group of followers, some wildly different. The Church Fathers got together, and came up with this:
1. " I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth."
2. "And in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord."
3. "Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary"
4. "Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried."
5. "He descended into Hell. On the third day He rose again."
6. "He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father"
7. "From which He shall come, to judge the quick and the dead."
8. "I believe in the Holy Spirit"
9. "The Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints"
10. "The forgiveness of sins"
11. "The resurrection of the body"
12. "And the life everlasting, Amen"
Twelve statements, covering everything needed to call yourself "Christian". The very basic of being a child of God. Whatever reason you have for being a Christian, this should be your road map, your vision to the goal. Did you become a Christian out of fear of Hell? Fair enough, but rather than look back in fear, look forward in joy. Were you socially motivated? (That can be anything from peer pressure to simply wanting to look good in front of others on Christmas and Easter.) That still means those twelve tenants must be believed, not just in words, but in the heart.
Part of living a Christian life is believing that God loves you, and if He loves you, then you have purpose and meaning. And if there is purpose, it is sometimes in His vision, but not ours. He sees the path of our whole lives, while we can only see a step at a time. The creed above illuminates the path. Numbers 1,2, and 8-12 give us what to believe, and 3-7 tell us why. We may not always know what we encounter on the way, but our goal is the same: Jesus. The end of our journey is not death, the end of our journey is Him. He is our goal, our target, our prize, our victory.
Hebrews 12: 1-2 says
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
No abstract goal. Only the real, true, living Lord. Amen.
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