The Pretenders

     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. Hebrews 12:1-2.

      We as runners can relate perfectly to this verses. Every race day, I step off of the bus, and onto the golf course, (which should be renamed "XC Courses" because that's their best use), I am consciously aware that everyone will be watching how I act during the meet. My teammates, rivals, friends, and parents all are "witnesses" to how I will represent God during the day. So many times, however, I end up being a pretender. I act like I have it all together, act like I'm truly who I say I am, but I screw up like everyone else, if not more than everyone else.

     The hardest part of being a Christian is when you are getting closer to God. Often times I forget that it's not just my Fallen Sin nature that is working against Christ, but that there is a Devil that is real and evil who wants to keep me as far away from the Best Thing for me at all times. The closer we get to God, the harder the Devil works against us. These are the times when we are trying to reach out to others and we mess up or make a mistake and become so guilt-ridden that we can't accomplish what God wants us to. Guilt is a form of pride. When you say to yourself, "I am such a terrible person, and there's no way that God can still love me," we put our "bad deeds" in front of God's forgiveness. We say that we are powerful enough to do something so bad that Christ on the Cross can't cover it. We lie, and say that God doesn't love us enough to truly have sent His Son to die for what we just did.

     No matter what you do, never forget that God can, and would do anything for you, and that we need to give Him everything back. So stop pretending, and start walking the walk. Make this your New Year's "Resolution"; that you would show the world the Light of Christ's love in you.