“Come, follow Me.” (Luke 18:22)
READ
REFLECT
What is the greatest opportunity you have been given? A relationship? A job offer? An educational opportunity? The rich young ruler was given the opportunity of a lifetime. He could have followed the Savior of the world. But, instead, he walked away because of “one thing he lacked.”
This same opportunity was accepted by the twelve apostles. What made the difference between this man who rejected the same offer and those who accepted? What was the one thing he lacked? Maybe he needed more information. Or, maybe he needed to do more works to be approved by God. Neither could be true. He already knew enough, because he was a religious leader of the synagogue. And, he didn’t lack good works for he had kept all the commandments from his youth.
The one thing he lacked was standing right in front of him. He lacked the true savior. He thought he could be good enough by adding more works or information to his religious resume. But, Jesus showed him he could never be good this way. “No one is good but One – God.”
So, why did he have to give away his possessions? Is it wrong to be rich? He needed to renounce all that rivaled Jesus as his savior to accept the One “thing” he lacked – his actual savior.
“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.‘” (Luke 14:33)
RESPOND
- How have you attempted to save yourself by adding things to your religious resume?
- What have you tried to use as “functional saviors?”
- How do these things fade in comparison to the true Savior?
I’ll start by saying that I just started CrossFit here a month ago at CrossFit Philia in North Liberty Iowa. They have a GOD WOD and it wasn’t until I read about it, that I really understood how the two could relate.
I have been away from religion for far too long, I was brought up Catholic and had gone to church every Sunday for 18 years. Joined the Marines for 4 years, my time at church started to fade but my belief in GOD hadn’t. It’s been 9 1/2 years since I got out of the military, I have a wife of just over ten years and two beautiful children!! Until two days ago I hadn’t thought much of my faith in Jesus Christ unless I was in a dark place and needed his guidance and prayed to him.
Of all places I was on YouTube and came across this video about Man vs. GOD and by the end I had tears poring down my face and I didn’t even realize it. Then yesterday while looking at more CrossFit videos I came across your website and that’s when it hit me. This is going to be the way I get back, this is my attempt to find my faith again (I’d always had it, I just didn’t know where to look until now). I have tried in the past to tell my family members (cousins mostly) that I had been slipping away for some time now and needed to find my way again, but that never seemed to work for me even though they tried , I didn’t. I had believed that all I had to do was ask for forgiveness anytime I needed it and because I believed in him I would be forgiven and that I didn’t need the Church or my faith for that. Wrong!
So now before I make a book out of this (haha) I will end by saying thanks for putting faith in CrossFit and I believe I have found the way back to my faith because of it! Thank You
Matthew Christenson
Matthew – thanks for laying it out there, being real is what it’s all about! We look forward to continuing to be a resource for you in this return to the faith of your youth and getting to know you through our Iron Sharpens Iron events (next one in Cincinnati if you can join us) and/or chapter events if we can get one started in your area!