At some time or the other you have used a treadmill. It may have been during a doctor visit where they were checking out your heart, or perhaps your endurance or more. And possibly you may have a home gym, or you belong to a local gym where you exercise on a treadmill periodically.
Listen! A physical fitness treadmill is not intended to be just an piece of furniture, set aside in the bedroom or stored in the garage. It is not intended to serve as an extension of your closet for clothes you are in too big of a hurry to hang up. It is not to be something to brag about in a discussion, as if you are an avid workout person, when you really use it just for décor in your house.
Let’s talk about physical fitness treadmills a little bit more. At the doctor’s office, when they are checking you out, they increase the speed on the treadmill, turn it up a notch, varying the speed perhaps, and they can tell you when you can stop. Professional trainers do that at the gym too. And, even if you have a fitness treadmill at home, you can decide for yourself when to run on it, if at all, and you can decide when to get off or discontinue using it. You are in control. Are you following me? You already know where I am going, don’t you?
The treadmill that I will call the Christian Journey Treadmill is very different than a physical fitness treadmill. It does not lend itself to occasional use. It is not a Sunday only resource or a treadmill you get on when you see you have some type of heavy problem, brought on by your own unfit nature, or by the things that keep you from your spiritual exercise. The Christian Journey Treadmill cannot be stored until you are in the assembly of the saints. This treadmill is not associated with how you look on the outside only. The Christian Journey Treadmill is not something you run on because you decide to, but you do it because you have been told to run, as in a race. I know you can come up with some more comparisons between a physical fitness treadmill and the Christian Journey Treadmill, but remember, you can’t get off when you feel like it. No other human being, regardless of their professional status or expertise can tell you that you have been on the Christian Journey Treadmill long enough and you can get off. There is only one Person (Notice the capital “P.”); only one Person, the Doctor who never lost a patient, who has the right and authority to tell you when to get off. You already know, that will not happen in your days on this earth. For that only happens when the LORD calls you home, to that place where we will have eternal rest. You ought to stop right here and praise God before you go to the next paragraph. Hallelujah!
My friend, work hard on the Christian Journey Treadmill! Keep developing your godly traits, building your enduring faith, and shaping up your spiritual muscles on the Christian Journey Treadmill! Keep picking up your cross, going beyond your comfort zone, and keep following Jesus on the Christian Journey Treadmill! Keep moving! Keep running! If it seems like your effort is not bringing about positive results fast enough, all I can tell you, once again, is to keep running and wait on the Lord…while you keep moving on the Christian Journey Treadmill!
Keep going, regardless of the predicament that is pressuring you! Keep going, don’t look at the things that can easily depress you! Decide to keep your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith! Stay on the Christian Journey Treadmill! It may be for a lifetime, but do you want to know a thing or two? Alright! God will see you through! Yes, He will! God will be your strength! Yes, He will! God will even be right there with you. Yes, He will! Don’t you remember that He will never leave you or forsake you? If you get troubled on the Christian Journey Treadmill, look towards heaven while you keep running, knowing that our God is a very present help in times of trouble, knowing that He will renew your strength, and knowing that what He started in you, He will continue until the day of Christ! And listen! Don’t think you need something outside of that which the Lord can provide, but keep in mind that in Him we live, we move, and we have our being. Be blessed!
“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King