Right now, I’m addicted to Temple Run. It’s basically a chase scene on an ancient temple wall. Simple. But here’s the thing:
It never ends.
You run and run until you are caught by the obstacles or the evil monkey creatures. The point is to collect as many coins as you can before you die so you can “buy” upgrades to help you run farther next time. Poor Guy Dangerous the explorer never makes it out of the Temple.
There’s another thing about Temple Run. It’s fast. You can’t look away from the screen for a second or splat. Dead. And you need close-to-ninja reflexes to jump, turn, and slide on time.
So the games whizzes by at Millennium Falcon speed and the runner never actually escapes except by death.
Sounds like life, doesn’t it?
At least, that’s how my life feels, lately. As I mentioned before, I spent last year at Word of Life Bible Institute. But now I’m back home, and sometimes it feels like nothing ever changes. I’m busy, but what am I really accomplishing? Or, to put it in Temple Run terms, I’m running, but it’s only a matter of time before I trip and fall off the wall. It’s easy to be discouraged.
But I read something encouraging a while ago, and I want to share it with you. It was written by Paul Enns in his new book Heaven Revealed. Dr. Enns’s wife died suddenly a few years ago, so he did a study on Heaven and wrote the book. Here’s what he said:
“Think of the words. Heaven. Earth. Heaven is always better, in every realm, in every dimension. How could heaven be heaven if there was one arena in which heaven would be poorer and inferior to conditions on earth? It wouldn’t be heaven! You and I cannot think of a single realm or phase of living in which life would be poorer in heaven. Health? Better! Knowledge? Excessively better! Relationships? Much better! Everything will be better in every area of life.”
Yes, our run through this crazy life will end in death. But we have the expectation of better at the end, if we trust Christ. I hope this encourages you today in your run. It gives me hope when I remember it.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us….
Hebrews 12:1
Post Tenebras Lux
-ST
1 comment:
And when I read that verse, I think, hm, great cloud of witnesses?
Then I go back and read my favorite chapter of the Bible: Hebrews 11. The great cloud of witnesses.
And that verse basically says, the world was not worthy of that great cloud of witnesses - let us step in their footsteps. And run the race of life, because we have faith to spur us on.
Great post. :)
Post a Comment