Proper Pursuits

In the pop country song I Run to You, the band Lady Antebellum asks, "I run my life, or is it running me?" The line underscores the reality of our lives: we chase the wrong things and end up sucked into a drowning current that dumps us into a cesspool of mediocrity, where we sit in the shallow water wondering, "Is this all there is to life?"

Caught up in the pursuit of happiness, we run amok lacking a full awareness of what "happiness" really means, how to attain it, or what we'd even do with it if we caught that elusive tiger by the tail. What are we to do?

The apostle Paul led a revolution from Judaism to Christianity, but with the transition came tremendous debate over things that distracted the early church from focusing on the freedom found in Jesus. Paul's answer? Pursue peace and mutual edification.

For Paul, the answer to the problematic pursuits of life was to define things, not in terms of self, but in terms of relatedness to God and to neighbor. Peace within oneself is forged by making peace with others and God. Personal growth is fueled by edifying others, not by self-help courses or get rich quick schemes. When our singular focus is making our own lives better & freer, the only tiger we catch is the one who growls, "not enough, let's get more."

If you're in the Metro DC area this weekend, I invite you to join us on Sunday as we consider chasing the right things. Proper Pursuits is the name of the sermon, and we'll talk about how to let go of the tiger's tail and not get eaten alive. Worship begins at 10:30 and Bible study is at 9:15.

See you Sunday,

Pastor Gary