My running partner, on new running partner and I constantly chat as we run about how running is a wonderful metaphor for the Christian life. We are in good company since the apostle Paul uses it regularly. Anyway I hope he doesn't read my blog because I don't want to hurt his feelings because today I found another application of the metaphor.

Running cannot be dependent upon someone else. You see today we had planned on doing at least ten miles together. I scheduled my day around us being able to do it together. So when my partner went to a concert and told me he wasn't going to run with me today I had trouble getting it together to go. I sat on the bed with Karin looking for her to tell me not to go...which she did. I played with Aidyn. I thought about all the wonderful things I could do today if I didn't have to go running. And yet I went running anyway. It ended up being a great time. It was one of my days that I got 'lost', which is when I run a part of town that I do not know very well, estimating the direction rather than a clear route to make my distance, often I end up running significantly more than I plan on with these runs but it is a pleasure.

Something that was greater than my plan to run with a friend, and something greater than myself had to motivate me to get going. Too often our spiritual experience is dependent on who else is there and what is happening for them. Community very quickly becomes one of the acceptable idols in the church. Therefore our friends, especially long term friends is often the case, become the beginning and en of our spiritual walk. Sadly we can very easily be led astray if this is what motivates us. Community is a wonderful thing, but far too often we never experience true godly community because of our fear or intimacy or because we turn it into an idol that we expect to be able to rely upon rather than God.

"O Lord my God, I would kneel before Thee in lowly adoration ere I set out to face the tasks and interests of another day. I thank Thee for the blessed assurance that I shall not be called upon to face them alone or in my own strength, but shall at all time be accompanied by Thy presence and fortified by Thy grace." -John Baillie

The past few days were strange. My family took a trip to Seattle for a wedding where we had no access to computers or phones (other than at other people's houses or cell phones). We survived. The funniest was last night as we sat at desks next to each other for a few hours to catch up on email:)

Is your life better since you have all these things? Don't get me wrong, I say that from my new laptop that I am still being careful to not get drool on because I am so excited about it. Already I know I need to schedule a day to get away without any of these things.

Taking a good thing... I have been in 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles studying for awhile. This morning I read, "He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan)." 2 Kings 18:4. Not only had Moses made the bronze serpent, but he was commanded by God to make it in order to save God's people from death. It was a life line that was to drag them back to worship the true and living God, yet our habit is to begin to worship the life line.

On one hand that is the amazing part of the incarnation. That Jesus was the lifeline and God, so therefore to worship him is proper. These other things we set up are not. God's church is the lifeline, yet is a means to worship, not something to be worshipped. What are the bronze serpents we need to shatter? Many come to mind for me, yet they must be brought down in a way that exalts Christ and encourages His bride in true worship. That's how Hezekiah did it at least.