… designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Summary: The football field analogy works fairly well, but as we twist and warp things to fit real life, it begins to look rather weird.
In our last meditation, “Messy Business,” we likened life to a muddy football field where everyone on the planet is on one field running around in the mud. Most of us don’t know where we are going. If we are following someone else, we have no idea if they know where they are going. Both end zones look the same to the naked eye but they are very different.
How do we get to the “Good” end zone?
A friend of mine texted yesterday and told me that his mother-in-law is very close to death. Being raised in the Catholic tradition, she is hoping a priest will come to deliver the last rites. The problem is that she hasn’t been attending church, and she doesn’t have a personal connection with a priest.
In the end, we all face a similar problem. We need a personal connection with a priest.
The “field” we are playing on isn’t really a football field. Instead of seeing end zones we see walls in front of each end zone. The walls are high, and the only way over them is to leave our skin behind. But which wall should we jump over?
Another fact about this field is that it is not a level playing field. It’s tilted. Badly. Our natural inclination is to gravitate to the lower wall. If we go by how we “feel” in the natural, we will gravitate towards the “bad” end zone.
This is a bad choice!
At the end of the day, we want to be in the “Good” end zone. That is where all the fun is going to be. That is where peace and joy are. The “Good” end zone is where we want to end up. (The other one is rather nasty. Mostly just fire, brimstone, and weeping and gnashing of teeth.)
Since we find it hard to climb up to the “Good” end zone and since there is no way we can get over the wall on our own, how do we get there?
The answer is that we need help. Even if we are not Catholic, we need a priest. We need someone to intercede for us with the Creator of the Universe who resides on the other side of the wall. Someone who will put in a good word for us, pay all of the fines we owe for the penalties we incurred on the field, and then who is big and strong enough to lift us over the wall.
If that sounds like a “tall” order, it is. Fortunately, we have a priest who is up to the challenge. His name is Jesus.
Application: Don’t delay! Strike up a personal relationship with the only priest who matters; Jesus.
Food for Thought: If I am in the middle of a muddy field tilted towards the losing end zone, surrounded by crowds of people mostly headed downhill, what should my priorities be?
If I am in the middle of a muddy field tilted towards the losing end zone, surrounded by crowds of people mostly headed downhill, what should my priorities be?
Call a time out, get out of the noise and commotion, and speak with the coach.
Matthew 14:23, After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.
Luke 6:12, It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.
Ron,
Nice comeback! Spot on!! 🙂
Good idea Ron. I agree, we need to always move toward Jesus. That means we will not be moving with the crowd. Matthew 7: 13 – 14.
The priority should always be Christ. It is not so much a religion as a relationship. Just give me Jesus. Philippians 3: 7 – 11.
Rich
The contrast between religion and relationship is an important one. Thanks for pointing that out.
My priority would be not to “slide” downhill and to keep moving in the other direction. I’m not able to do that on my own, I would need to “stand” on the Word, and walk with the Lord.
Psalm 18:35-36 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.
Thanks Chris!
I absolutely agree: Stand on the Word and lean into Jesus.