Michael Boggs – More Than Moved (2010)
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
Ever wake from a sound sleep in the middle of the night? I’m not talking about a night after you ate spicy food, you had vivid dreams, your mind was overwhelmed with stress, you were startled or in pain or any other factor that caused your normal nightly rest to be interrupted. It is instead the time when you wake gently without prompting to the quite sounds of night; not irritated that you woke, not quite sure why you woke but quite content to be awake.
I think it is one of those times my dad used to describe that I had a hard time understanding. It was his time, a special invitation by God for some special alone time with God. It is the kind of time described in the Bible where a young Samual awoke three times, went to his master Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Eli, an old guy trying to get some rest, realized what was happening and told Samuel that it was in fact God calling him. So when it happened again Samuel, alone in his room said to God, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” God spoke next, “I’m about to do something.” The powerful part of this Bible story isn’t so much about what God was about to do. It certainly wasn’t about anything special that Samuel did to earn God’s favor. It was all about God performing the simple act of conversation in a pretty supernatural way with someone ready to hear and faithfully do.
Performance is something that is paramount in our lives weather we like it or not. A few months ago my grandson was born. Immediately the doctor, the parents and everyone watched for assuring signs of normal behavior. Initially we look to confirm all the vital signs are good. A few weeks later we watch for sensory awareness. In time we’re thrilled with a smile and look forward to the first word, the first step and eventually all the other performance measures you want to see in a healthy child. As a child grows into adulthood the performance standards grow too. Performance by it’s very nature is often competitive and demanding. Some of us thrive on that. All of us are challenged by it. What does it take to perform at your peak?
Performers that have an attitude of excellence have an extreme inability for compromise. I have a colleague that not only recognizes his life is a gift from God he is committed to giving his all back to God and being his best. It never crosses his mind how he might be able to “just get by”. Excellence is a pretty lofty goal especially if you presume that God is the one setting the standards. It is God’s nature to help us reach ever higher. To excel is to catch a vision of God’s glory for your life and then live that in the presence of others.
Those who perform with persistence are quite impervious to defeat. They have a tenacity to endure. They refuse to be bound by any confines. A reader contacted me recently overwhelmed with health concerns that are being impacted by excess weight. For all of us our weight, too much, too little and even “just right” has the potential to hold our physical lives bound. We have to find and then firmly hold fast to real solutions that will meet the unique challenges that each of us have. To do that your spirit must persist.
To perform with humble gracefulness is to be truly mindful of who you are: your past, your present and your future. I have a long time friend who is established in the world of bodybuilding. Her physique is phenomenal. But her spirit is what really stands out. It stands out not because she knows how to put on a good show and not because of her confidence. It is her genuine nature that gently shines through beyond the usual glitz. Her continual awareness of where she stands with God – where we all stand with God keeps any pretense of pride at bay.
Top performers are happy reflecting the joyous nature of God. It can be very difficult to find your way into that presence of God. It is even more difficult to stay there. A reader contacted me seeking help for a relative struggling with depression. It is very real and very debilitating. Bringing faith and fitness together isn’t about finding a magic bullet. It is about recognizing that our life is a journey with God – a journey that is happening right now. God’s simple advise for the “right now” is, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” That isn’t a simple answer but it is a route to finding the contagious energy that God gives each of us.
It is often perceived that to invent or reinvent who you are is the mark of a top performer. Certainly such growth and transformation is good. But it is even better and more perfect when one pursues God’s will for change. A person who has a mindset of openness – an openness to seek the wisdom of God won’t just be born again but will live a life seasoned with supernatural conversations with God.
I for one am amazed that God would afford me the grace to have some time alone with Him, in the quietness of the middle of the night when performance means nothing more than simply being obedient and saying, “Speak God, I’m listening.”
Train strong in Christ,
Brad Bloom
