As the years go by, it seems to get higher. I am talking about the bar. When I was a kid, getting onto the soccer team of my village back in Bulgaria or in the Judo team of the city I had to go to attend and graduate High School at that time was not a matter of just showing up, but it was not as difficult as it is today. “Start ‘em a young and keep ‘em focused” seems to be the way to have a chance these days. There is a lot of competition. Try getting into the college of your choice. It used to be very easy to get into it. Now students with high GPAs and SAT scores are turned down routinely. How about a job? Well, we all know that it is harder to get a good one.
The bottom line is that all of us are running harder and faster to keep up, get ahead or not fall behind. It takes a super human effort to rise above the BAR. How about our Christian walk, or is it a run? It is hard to keep up with all of the Christians around you; isn`t it? After all, “they”set the BAR high; don`t they? Know the Bible, act right, serve, give, don`t talk about others, reach out to the poor, raise your kids well and show up to Church are some of the bricks in the wall you need to leap over each week. Whew, I am tired just writing about it.
So my question is how are you doing? Are you tired and frustrated? Are you despondent and about to give up? Will you just quit trying? Well, if that is you, I have some good news. It comes in two forms. The first is there is no BAR. Jesus says in
Matthew 11:28 the following: “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” The only BAR I know of in Christianity is the horizontal one that was nailed to the vertical one on Calvary. The Heavenly Father set that bar high, and Jesus met the standard. The second one is you can leap over a wall with your God. Whatever obstacles that is facing you right now is not too big for God. He is with you and will uphold you. That is his promise. Here is the key though; you have to quit looking at the wall, the BAR or other people. You have to look to Him. As you do, He will make a way when seems that there is no way and that way will be delightful, not because it will be easy, but because it will be with Him, by Him and for Him.
Worship Him well this coming week and always. God bless you!
