"But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I should become disqualified." - Paul, 1 Cor. 9:27

I can't think of much that's more discouraging than preaching truth and falling short. Whether I see it blatantly in the life of some other pastor, or I feel the convicting sting of it in me - it's disheartening to know truth and then to be found lacking. We have not arrived; none of us are perfect. And yet that is the goal, being like Christ in all things - "be perfect as I am perfect" and all that.

So I'm striving once again to live that out. I want to be found approved, tested as trustworthy, faithful to the calling on my life in Christ. There's so many things on my plate. Besides being Husband and Daddy, I'm Co-Worker, Associate Pastor, Blogger (don't want to let anyone down here), Moderator (a b4G and email lists), friend to "millions", and dreamer... sort of. And I can get so easily distracted from the task at hand: just living the kingdom life now, growing in Christ-likeness, getting to know Him more and more. I want my evangelism to be an outflow of that. I want my work to reflect quality from that. I want my ministry to reveal Christ in all things.

On the morning commute, I was listening to a CD I'd burned, an MP3 sermon - great for my typical drive to work. On this particular morning, the leadership team at this church was outlining the changes coming up for those assembled. The chairman mentioned that the team had gone into a time of prayer and fasting, knowing intrinsically that God needed to be their focus and energy. I was challenged, and actually thought about my own need to just enter a time of fasting. At the same time, I was chewing on a porkchop biscuit from Hardee's. The irony struck me as I made the exit ramp off of I-20: I need to fast, but let me chew this biscuit first.

I don't want to be disqualified in the end, and I definitely don't want to be found chompin' on a biscuit.
- posted by Rick @ 10:03