“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
Whoever you are, you know who you are. I’m writing this for you. I am compelled by the Spirit of God to write this – right now. For someone reading this who has been running, and running, and won’t stop running. But I am here to say, please stop running.
You can run from people. You can run from places. You can run from things. You can run from relationships. You can run from jobs. You can run from commitments. You can run from church. You can run from people reaching out to help you. You can run from your life’s calling. You can run from your education. You can run from the homeless shelter you don’t like to stay in. You can run from promises you made and don’t want to keep. You can run from the people you don’t like, and the stuff you don’t like to do, and the places you don’t want to be. You can run from the law. And you can convince yourself it’s all okay, everything’s okay, it’s all going to be alright, everything will work out in the end, it’s really not that bad, not that awful, and that you’re not that irresponsible, not that disobedient, not that rebellious, not that wrong, not that sinful, not that hurtful to the Lord, and to others, to run from what you know you’re supposed to be doing, and from where you’re supposed to be or to be going, to run from what you know deep inside your heart is God’s will for your life. But I’m here to tell you this.
Please stop running. Because when it comes right down to it, you’re not just running from God’s will when you know what He wants you to do. You’re running from God Himself, and from the intimate, personal, beautiful, magnificent, passionate, loving, awesome relationship the Lord God almighty wants to have with you through faith in and whole devotedness to the Lord Jesus Christ. You’re not just hurting God, which is first and foremost and wrong and dangerous and ultimately deadly and could well result in forever separation from Him in hell and the lake of fire if you have not repented and given Christ your life. But even if you have already dedicated your life to Christ, and have chosen to run from God at this particular point of your journey, figuring it’s okay, you’ll get back to loving and serving and obeying Him the way you know you are called to once you get past this one itty bitty little matter of not wanting to obey and glorify Him in this one specific issue He has brought to your attention, you will still pay the price of your disobedience because rebellion against God always comes with a cost which includes missing out on the depth of personal fellowship and love and hope and peace and joy and intimacy you can have with Christ right here, right now.
Whoever you are, whatever you’re doing, if you know good and well you’re running, it’s time to stop. Turn around and run to the Lord, run to His mercy seat, cry out in repentance, throw up your arms in utter surrender, say YES, YES, YES I WILL, I will do whatever it is, wherever it is, however you desire, with whomever it is, whatever your will is, for you, my Lord! Love Him, love God, love Christ, love Him in obedience, run right into His glorious everlasting arms and throw yourself at His feet in repentance and receive His sweet enduring mercy, and cry YES, YES GOD!
No more running, my friend. Please say no to SELF and YES to Christ, and enjoy the amazingness of knowing you are walking in love, in Christ’s love, and in obedience, in God’s strength, for the glory of the Lord, amen! Come running – TO THE LORD!