Flickr photo by tableatny, usage via CC BY 2.0 license
Every journey must start somewhere. The Bible says that we are to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1), but where is the starting line? In the journey of life, there could be several occasions where we could draw a big line and say, “This is it! This is where it starts!” For example, how about drawing the starting line at the moment you were born? That’s not a bad place to mark as the starting point. Maybe the starting line actually begins at conception. After all, there are a myriad of events that happen during gestation that affect your journey. The starting line for Faith4TheJourney is this inaugural post. (Hmmm…Or maybe it was when the idea was conceived and the blog site created?)
The starting line for the race alluded to by the author of the book of Hebrews is clearly drawn. The starting line is at the point of birth. More specifically, your second birth. Let’s indulge in a brief interlude of dialog…just you and me.
YOU: “Say what!?”
ME: “Yep. There’s such a thing as a second birth.”
YOU: “But how can I be born when I’m already…like…old? I’m pretty sure there’s no way I can go back in there and get born all over again. Nor would I want to! Yuck!”
ME: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:6-7) Yes, you were born physically when your mother gave birth to you. A point in time also exists when you are born spiritually. That is the time of your second birth.”
YOU: “So when does that happen…this second birth thing?”
ME: “Experiencing a second birth isn’t automatic. You have a choice to make. If you really want to know how to be born spiritually, I recommend reading more about it at NeedHim.org.”
Thank you for the engaging dialog! You did great!
For all of you who have begun the journey and the starting line is now somewhere behind you, keep your shoelaces tied! The journey is challenging enough without tripping over your own shoelaces.
I’ll wrap up with a prayer from the Apostle Paul found in Ephesians 3:14-21 that I like to call a “prayer for all generations”. Please consider this my prayer for you…
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Thank you for reading this inaugural post on Faith4TheJourney!
Keep those shoelaces tied!
—– Paul —–
Faith4TheJourney 