Thursday, May 18, 2017
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You may not be able to tell it over the radio, but I'm not a very big guy. Oh, I'm big inside. But outside, I'm more of like a Volkswagen than a semi. Which makes it amazing that both my sons ended up playing line in football. That's usually where they put the monsters. But we used to joke that the linemen wore their IQs on their jerseys - you know, like 75. But it was brawn more than brains they needed anyway to either hold the line while their opponents were trying to move them or to break through those gorillas on the other side of the line. There are just a few simple instructions that every coach wants every lineman to learn and live by. In fact, our guys heard this one all the time, "Keep your feet moving. No matter what." Even if it feels like you're going nowhere. Even if you're getting hammered. Even if you think it's doing no good. As long as you keep driving, as long as you keep your feet moving, you're making a difference. There is an alternative. It's called getting knocked down maybe by one of those gorillas on the other side.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Keeping Your Feet Moving."
The Divine Coach has assigned you a position to play right now. And He has a word for you today from the Word of God. Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Or in the words of a football coach to the guys on the line, "Keep your feet moving, no matter what." It's true in football. It's true in following Christ. If you stop driving, if you stand still, you're going to get knocked down and you'll stop making a difference.
It could be you've been taking some pretty hard hits lately. Don't become weary in doing good. Keep your feet moving. Maybe you feel like nothing's moving; you're not seeing much in the way of results. The good you're doing doesn't seem to be doing much good. Your Coach's word, "Keep playing your position. Keep your feet moving in God's direction. This isn't about results. It's about faithfulness at your position." That's why the commendation of Jesus is, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
I believe there was a point where you knew God was leading you in this direction...when you felt motivated to make a difference or to start living God's way. But you've been hit hard a few times, maybe thrown for a loss. Maybe things seem to have gotten worse instead of better. Or it could be that there has not been much appreciation for what you've done...or much progress. The feeling isn't there like it was at the beginning. You're tired of driving in the direction God led you. Your feet are slowing down, you're standing still. You're tempted to give up on your ministry, on your marriage, on financial freedom, on conquering the old you, or you might be tempted to give up on the miracle that you've been praying for.
And along comes God today saying, "The payoff is coming. You will break through if you keep driving in this direction - even when you feel like quitting." He likens it to a farmer waiting for his harvest. There's a lot of work and investment without any visible result for a long time. And then one day, that crop appears if he doesn't give up on it. The harvest of all you've put in so far depends on one very big if, "...if, (as God says,) you do not give up." In the words of a wise old man of God, "Never doubt in the darkness what God has told you in the light."
There's no standing still on this Jesus road. If you do, you get knocked down. There are some wonderful victories, there are some powerful breakthroughs later in the game if you keep your feet moving.