Running & Exhaustion

To those walking,

Whew! Since when could my body sweat this much. I swear it was like I had just gotten out of the pool. You may be thinking, “Ew, Chris that’s gross,” but all I was thinking was water and air conditioning. You see the other day I ran 2 miles. Yes, 2 whole miles! And yet I was looking like the Niagara Falls.

I hope you’re picking up on the fact that I was utterly and hopelessly exhausted, that I was out of shape, and that my run was beyond difficult. But here’s the kicker: On March 19^th (around only 6 months ago) I gloriously passed the finish line of Baylor’s Half Marathon. For those of you who don’t know a half marathon is 13.1 miles! Just 6 months ago I was running 13.1 miles and now I could barely do 2. In fact I struggled to do 2 miles without walking. Hmmmm. What was going on? I was shocked to find myself having to exert so much effort on 2 measly little miles.

It’s funny how this happens to us as Christians too.

Do you see the connection?  

           

For some reason we’ve been duped into thinking that our past accomplishments actually mean something in the present. I’ll let you in on a little secret. Since March 19^th, 2011 till this slip n slide of a run I have only gone for a run twice. After the Bearathon, I was tired of running, and apathetic towards even the thoughts of doing it. I went months, literally months without ever putting on my running shoes, and yet I somehow had the audacity to assume that since I had ran 13.1 miles months before surely I could lace up the Asics and hit the ground running… how wrong was I.

You see, spirituality is a lot like running; it’s a continual practice. 

It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve gone to church, attended bible studies, or read the bible, all that matters is if we are continually staring at Jesus. All of those 13.1 miles weren’t going to save me from the last 2. All of that effort I put into training for the half wasn’t going to save me from all of the running I had put off. All of the things we have once done, in and of themselves mean nothing for the present work of The Kingdom.

In 1 Corinthians 9:27 Paul says, “I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”  Paul, a man who had done extraordinary things and had reached an extraordinary number of people, realized that he had to constantly train himself in order to prevent spiritual dystrophy. 

In order to finish the race strong we must constantly strive.

We have to give everything we have to God on a daily basis, not just Christmas and Easter.

We must continually and consistently run.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that what you have done makes up for what you aren’t doing.

Train now and you’ll avoid the sweat.

Merely,

Chris Gerac

“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12, NIV

Brokenness & Broken Chains

To those enslaved,

You will never get free until you want to be free.

You will never want to be free until you realize the grossness of your sin.

You will never realize the grossness of your sin until you see the beauty of Christ

You will never see the beauty of Christ until you look beyond Sunday mornings

You will never look beyond Sunday mornings until you acknowledge that on your own you can’t do anything (John 15)

You will never acknowledge that on your own you can’t do anything until you understand how weak you really are

You will never understand how weak you are until you realize how sinful you are

You will never realize how sinful you are until your comprehend the Holiness of Jesus

You will never comprehend the Holiness of Jesus until you seek him with all of your heart (Jer 29:13)

You will never seek him with all of your heart until you see how far we’ve fallen since Eden

You will never see how far we’ve fallen since Eden until you realize how worthy you are

You will never realize how worthy you are until you understand that you are the Son or Daughter of a King!

You will never understand that you are a Son or Daughter of a King, until you comprehend the Father Heart 

of GOD

You will never understand the Father Heart of GOD until you ask him to reveal himself to you

You will never ask him to reveal himself to you until you desire him

You will never desire him until you realize that you’re enslaved

You will never realize that you’re enslaved until you want to be free

You will only want to be free when you realize the grossness of your sin. You will never understand this until you begin to see the world as our Father does. Ask first for his eyes, and watch as your chains melt like wax before you. 

Merely,

Chris Gerac

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” Matthew 6:33 NIV

Invitations & Conversations

To those searching,

Yesterday I was determined. Determined to eat, and determined not to do it alone. 

Two days ago I was blown away when someone told me to never go anywhere alone. At first I thought he meant because Waco can be sometimes slightly shady and that he was promoting the 3^rd grade buddy system, but then as he elaborated I realized what he truly meant. 

We should be constantly reaching out in constant fellowship. 

Basically he was implying that if I wanted to reach the nations then I first needed to pour into those around me, take them wherever I go, live life in front of/ and with them in open vulnerability. Isn’t this what Jesus did? He chose to lay down the invitation for 12 people and watched what unfolded.

So that is exactly what I did: I laid down an invitation to some men to see if they wanted to eat lunch with me… and only one person responded. However, equipped with my newly discovered passion, I was not going to let people’s lack of response overshadow the responses of those who did. 

Long story short, the one response turned into two, and before I knew it I was sitting down having a delightful lunch with two awesome men. But the story doesn’t stop there...

The lunch slowly turned from catching up to speaking about God (this was never my intention just a great plus). Before I knew it, the three of us were knee deep in talking about Christianity in America, as well as England and other European countries, along with a discussion on some deep theological questions. But the story doesn’t stop here either…

I slowly became aware that as we were talking, other people began listening (not in offense but in curiosity). I could tell that something we were speaking about was pulling on some buried piece of their hearts. It wasn’t more than a few minutes after I noticed that we were being observed, when one of the people who had lived in my dorm last year asked to join our conversation. He instantly and honestly told us his thoughts on religion, and I honestly told him my thoughts against religion also. Ultimately, what started as an invite to a mere lunch had transitioned into a deep and encouraging conversation between four individuals.

People are curious

 

People are spiritually hungry

People long to find answers to cope with their struggles

People long to be loved

People are asking, searching, and longing for answers

People want to join the conversation

So why don’t we give it to them?

What is so awkward about inviting a person to lunch?

Merely,

Chris Gerac

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19, Esv

Complaints & Contemplations

To those idling,

I'm spoiled and I am lazy. 

I'm sitting at home alone for fall break wanting to write, feeling called to write, but alas I forgot my laptop charger and my computer is dead. I could hand write this but that's technology for barbarians! I could wait but I don't feel called to wait. I need to write and to write right now. 

But I'm stuck in limbo.

I'm tossed about a stormy sea. Write or not write that is the question. Use paper and pencil or type on my tiny iPhone? Sit here and complain or sit here and make a difference?

My friends and I were driving home a few days ago having deep theological counseling (like every college student does on a car ride) when Byron brought up the idea that when we complain it's basically telling God, "Hey! What are you doing up there? I could do way better!" Now this idea isn’t exactly Byron’s, but our pastor’s back home, but just the mere thought sent shivers down my spine?

Millions of children die of starvation each day. Thousands of Christians watch family members fall to the floor at the hands of persecution. Countless individuals live on less than $2 a day. What am I doing? Contemplating and complaining about if a pencil and paper or a tiny screen on a $200 mega phone is good enough for me?

How do you think God responds when we complain? How do you think He takes it when He gives us the whole world and we give it right back? How do you think He feels when He came and died for us and we whine about going 3 hours without our Coke’s or Twinkies?

How do you think He reacts when we tell Him that we can do a better job?

… I bet he laughs.

Yes laughs! Imagine God, the Author of Love, the omniscient Most High, the true Great Bambino, as he sits on his heavenly throne looking down on us with loving eyes, and seeing us, mere humans full of our daily mistakes, making plans and throwing temper tantrums when we don’t receive them. Imagine Him. Wouldn’t you laugh too? Wouldn’t you chuckle at our attempts to do your job?

I know I would.

Maybe instead of looking at what you don’t have with stinging tears of frustration, look at all that you have been given and laugh with hardy tears of appreciation.

Remember God ultimately knows our needs and ourselves far better than we do.

Don't be a back seat complainer

Merely,

Chris Gerac

“Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” James 3:10-12, NIV

Sinners & Saints

To those hurting,

There is something that I need to get off of my chest. I’m afraid that if I hold it in any longer than I will succumb to sickness. I must get let this out or it will fester, ooze and creep into every crevice of my life.

Ready?

Here it goes…

1…

2…

3…

Guys I’m a sinner

Whew feels amazing to let go of that Atlas- like burden. Now some of you may be laughing at me for what I’ve just written but I mean it. I’m a no good, dirty, rotten, disgusting sinner. If I had a nickel for every time I even thought about sinning, well there would be a new Bill Gates in town. 

I want to clarify that I am in no way making jokes about the confession of sin. In fact I believe that what I just did is one of the main things that people struggle with. It may be hard to acknowledge, but as Christians we often find it hard to admit our flaws, our mistakes, our mess ups, our imperfections. One of the funniest things I have discovered about our version of Christianity is the belief that every other Christian is perfect. Think about it. How many of you would rather jump of a bridge then tell one of your closest friends you cheated on a test? How many of you would rather suffer in sin and shame then admits to a fellow Christian that you looked at pornography? How many of you would rather hold your pain and sorrow in instead of allowing the love and peace of God to enter?

Why is it that we pretend that the person sitting next to us on Sunday is holy?

Paul writes in Romans 5:8 that “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He didn’t say Christ died for us and thus eliminated all of our sins, but instead Christ cancelled the payments for our sins.

Martin Luther once said “Sin Boldly,” and yet all I see around me are people too ashamed or too afraid to admit that they actually stumble. 

I’ll admit it. I’m a sinner! And it is because I recognize how much I do sin that I am free to recognize how much I need God. Without God all of my “righteous acts” are but filthy rags (Isaiah 66:6).

If you’re hurting, if you’re trapped in a cycle of sin and shame, if you feel dirty and unclean, you’re not alone. 

As Christians we should be comforted with the knowledge that we have brothers and sisters who can relate all around us. 

As a Christian you’re guaranteed to fall into temptations.

The difference is… are you willing to admit it?

Merely,

Chris Gerac

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23, NIV

Pins & Needles

To those listening,

Last night I had the privilege of seeing one of the greatest bands of this age in concert at a very small, but terrifically trendy coffee shop. I was astonished that such a band as Mutemath would play at such a tiny venue as Common Grounds in Waco, Tx. I think though that I was more astonished by the fact that so many people could sing the lyrics of their songs, and not know the Man that they were singing to. You see, Mutemath, while amazingly skilled in perhaps every instrument known and not known to man, and brilliantly talented in clashing sounds together into beautiful melodies, is most amazing for the simple fact that they are indeed a Christian band. Not just a band whose members call themselves Christian, but a band whose members live, breathe, write, and play for the glory of God.

As I stood and had my mind blown this is what I heard…

“Take control of the atmosphere
Take me far away from here
There is no better loss than to lose myself in you
In a parachute to glide, I am captive in your sky
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful

Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
You can take my world you can fill the air
Take control, take control

It's such a beautiful surrender

Move me up through the darkest clouds
Till I've lost in the sun every shadow of doubt
There is no better find than to find myself with you
In a fog you are all I see
I'm inviting you closer with each time I breathe
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful

Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
There is no reason I should breathe unless you're in the air
Take control

It’s such a beautiful surrender
Its such a beautiful surrender
And I'm calling out
would you take control
And I'm calling out”

“I know you stay true when my world is false
everything around’s breaking down to chaos
I always see you when my sight is lost
everything around’s breaking down to chaos”

“And all this time,
it was staring me blind
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before

And you are reaching
Something that is beating
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before
Over and again
Racing out of my skin
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before
At least it was never until I noticed
you

The only time I ever noticed my heart
Was when I noticed you,”

Whether you can sing, write, dance, color, teach, puppeteer, run, or whatever else you can do, do it in a way that your Father may be glorified.

Merely,

Chris Gerac

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17, NIV