8 Minute Abs

The year is 1999. I'm a sophmore in high school. I have the metabolism of a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Hemi. Simply meaning I could burn a 12-pack of Pepsi, eat a whole box of Hot Pockets and still hang around the 175 lb. arena. I miss those days immensely.
I had completed junior high football and was ready for the challenge of high school. I showed up at the weight room at 6:00AM the first day of school for something dreadful called the 'Zero Hour Team'. Simply a group of jocks who were obsessed with lifting weights but had no time after school since they were on 3 different sports teams. I can't tell you how many weights I lifted while completely asleep.
Past all the squat racks and bench presses was a room with a wrestling mat and a tv. This was called the 'Ab Room'. Aww yes. I can still smell it. Looking back I'm not to sure if our PE teachers were certified because they simply popped in a VHS tape called 8 Minute Abs and said, 'Get to work!' If we weren't tired enough at the end they would say, 'Rewind it. And get to work!'
Now the concept of 8 Minute Abs was great-I get to see circles on my stomach if I just do this short video and that's it!! The problem is-it's not just about 8 minutes. That metabolism I mentioned. Yeah it was in order for an oil change and quickly turned from that Charger into a Pinto. Why? Because it was about much more than just 8 minutes.

I fear sometimes we view our faith the same way. And by we-I mean you and me. I mean Christians in America. We get so excited at the beginning of our walk with the Lord because we love the challenge-we love the work. But then we find ways to just get what we 'need'. As we get older we trick our minds into thinking we are spiritually mature and stop trying near as hard. We retire. I'm reminded of a passage in Luke 18:17, 'Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'
Does this mean we become childish? No. It means we are consumed with who God is! When I played football, I couldn't wait for practice to get over so I could go home, watch football on tv, I would read my playbook before bed-I ate it up! What if we had that same drive for our knowledge of God?! Download a Bible app on your phone so that whenever you had a spare moment you could whip out your phone and read a chapter of the Bible. You start a small group with your neighbors and get truly excited about opening the Bible with them. Every time you see a co-worker you started praying for them by name! At lunch you take time to text someone an uplifting message because you know they need it! You map out Bible verses for your children to start memorizing at home!!
Am I going into spiritual overload for you yet?? Why?...
And I know all of you are expecting me to mention church. Well-honestly-and this is coming from a pastor-church for many people has turned into 8 Minute Abs. Just pop it in-destroy your body for a few minutes, and when you're done-you're done!
Now hear me-corporate worship is important!! It is of utmost importance for a person of faith. We need to be in church!!!! But how many of your neighbors were there this past Sunday...one? None? We need to start living Christian lives all day, every day. Only then will we become spiritually fit. Only then will we see complete cities coming to Christ on their knees.

So when will it begin?

-PC
pastorcory@rescuesumner.org
www.rescuesumner.org