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YOUR RACE?  THE HARE OR TORTOISE!!!

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Many are familiar with Aesop's fable, The Hare and the Tortoise. This is the story of the hare (rabbit) who laughed at a tortoise because of his slow pace. The hare boasted of his own speed - that he could run so fast. That, however, didn't send the turtle into a state of depression nor encourage him to sign up for a class in self-esteem or martial arts. He used the talent he had to do the best he could in response to a challenge given for a five-mile race. Both agreed to the terms and off they started with the hare gaining a quick and speedy lead on the tortoise. The rabbit was so confident of his ability to win the race that along the way he decided to take a nap, thinking that when the tortoise came past, he could easily overtake him. However, what the hare had not counted on was the length of his sleep. The fable continues as we learn that the turtle came slowly along the path, steadily pushing toward the finish line one slow, tiny, determined step at a time, passing the overconfident sleeping rabbit and winning the race.

Perhaps there is a frightening lesson to this secular children's story. We all have one life to live. The average life span on this earth is about 76. In Psalm 90:10, we are told: "The days of our years are threescore years and ten [70 years]; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years [80 years], yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." Many die before this age - proportionally few, after. However, we all have two things in common: physical death on this earth and eternal life in Heaven or Hell.

We will be held accountable to God for what we do in this life and cannot change our eternal ongoing life once we pass from this earth. "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."  "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Hebrews 9:27)

We all start out life as a baby, and, if providential circumstances allow, grow to our "golden years." The nurturing and potential that are present at the beginning of most lives often lose their excitement and commitment along the way. This is from parents and individuals and our own changes as we pass through each stage of life. Many start their lives with excitement, abilities, talents, education, aspirations, good health and many other blessings from the LORD that would indicate a great future; however, along the way, we can become sidetracked and lose out on the most important thing in our lives - a true relationship with Jesus Christ.

It's easy to get caught up in the cares of this world, in careers and personal desires, in becoming successful in the world's eyes, in accumulating material possessions and climbing the professional ladder. Many become involved in sinful lifestyles and priorities that either leave out Jesus Christ, or give Him only what is left over. Do we give the best of our years, our talents and abilities to what will be left on this earth and reserve only the "leftovers" to serve God? Many say, "I will serve the LORD when I retire, when I have more time, when ..." This brings much displeasure to God as we are told through the prophet Malachi: "Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? ..." (Malachi 1:7,8) Some even live in a lifestyle of sin and wrongly think that God will overlook it on judgment day or that they will turn from that lifestyle . . . later. Oh, what disastrous deception. "O Foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" (Galatians 3:1)

The good news is that those sins from which we have repented (have nothing to do with) have been "erased" from our record - IF we have made Jesus Christ the LORD and Saviour of our life. "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (I John 2:4) Jesus Christ is the ONLY mediator for our sins; i.e., He is the only one who can pay the debt which is created EVERY TIME we commit a trespass (sin). "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all ..." (I Timothy 2:5,6) The Word of God plainly tells us that there is no other way for our sins to be forgiven. We must turn FROM sin and TO Jesus Christ. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." (Proverbs 28:13) Sadly, many there are who confess sin and make a confession that they are giving their lives to the LORD; however, they refuse to turn from sin. This is not repentance - it's deception.

TAKE AN INVENTORY OF YOUR LIFE

Consider some of the principles taught through the Scriptures shared above as you inventory your life to make sure that you will be counted among those that the LORD numbers as His "chosen": "But ye are a chosen generation, [notice, we are a chosen generation - not race; God doesn't discriminate with races* nor with denominations, nor with affluence] a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness [sin] into his marvellous light [righteous living]." (I Peter 2:9)  We often don't understand the reason why God has such strong warnings and eternal ramifications regarding the changing of His Word. Sometimes we don't heed such warnings because we lack proper Biblical understanding regarding words inspired by the Holy Spirit and recorded for our benefit. Other times, we do not comprehend the ramifications, for ourselves and/or ensuing generations, of such a serious rejection of God's many commands to not add to, nor take from, His Word.

As God's chosen generation, are you a part of this royal priesthood who has turned from sin and to Jesus Christ? What kind of a race are you running? How are you nurturing and training up your children and those with whom you come in contact, to not become sidetracked with the sin, cares and deception of this world? The pleasures of such are only for a season, but the price of being ensnared in them leads to eternal separation from God.

* See the article, The Destructive Harvesting of Changing God's Word:  Generation/Race, under the topic Bible & Bible Versions for a study on the words, generation and race.  

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