Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Sloppy Knots

Gosh, life is hard.

Life requires a fight.

Let me rephrase that:

If you want to get anywhere in life, you have to fight.


Being lazy is easy

It is

At first

You see let me walk you through something here:


As some of you know lately I have been training on a volunteer Search and Rescue team here in Toccoa. Its a lot of fun. To do a typical rescue requires a lot of work. Let me lay down some basics.

You first have to carry all the equipment to the site and being that we are SAR its not an ideal location for lugging 60-80 lbs of rope, too many carabiners to count, a basket, and many other things that are really heavy.

Then, you have to pick the best spot to tie the ropes, then you have to tie the ropes, with the right knots, using the right type of rope and so on. You then have to attach the gear, in the right way, and the right order.

You then do the rescue.

Put the person in the basket, who is usually hurt, unconscious, not responding.

Pull the person up the rock face in the basket.

Carry the person back to safety in the basket. All the while the person is writhing in pain, vomiting over me.


There is NO room for error.


Sure, I could sloppily tie the knots to make it easy on me. It would be quicker. I could not rappel down and pick up a 180 lb. man and put him in the basket, I mean, thats heavy. I could just tie him to the rope right?


Ok

Enough, are you getting the point?

Being lazy is always harder than doing the hard work upfront. To not tie the rope right affects other people.


“The Kingdom of God is forcefully advancing…”


There is no room for lazy people in the Kingdom of God.

Period.


So, to you suffering in the midst of trial, in the midst of difficulty.

Welcome to the Kingdom.

Keep your head up, keep fighting.


“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” - 2nd Corinthians 4:17


Do not give up.

I promise, He sees you.


There is a work going on inside of you that is unseen now,

but it will come to light,

and when it does,

the troubles you have faced will be worth it.


It doesn’t seem like it

The light at the end of the tunnel has been snuffed out, you are burned out.

I know what you're thinking

"I'm walking through hell,"


You are.


I tell you though, keep fighting.


There is a light.

Each new day brings you closer.

I promise


2nd Corinthians 6:4-10


“We put no stumbling block in anyone's path,

so that our ministry will not be discredited.

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:

in great endurance;

in troubles,

hardships and distresses;

in beatings, imprisonments and riots;

in hard work,

sleepless nights and hunger;

in purity, understanding,

patience and kindness;

in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;

in truthful speech and in the power of God;

with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;

through glory and dishonor,

bad report and good report;

genuine,

yet regarded as impostors;

known,

yet regarded as unknown;

dying, and yet we live on;

beaten,

and yet not killed;

sorrowful,

yet always rejoicing;

poor,

yet making many rich;

having nothing,

and yet possessing everything.”


Do not give up.

Don’t sloppily tie knots

Its not worth it.


Its worth it to fight.


So fight.


Forcefully advance the Kingdom.