TRAIL OR TREADMILL

            I recently gave in and purchased a used treadmill. I have contended in the past that I prefer to run outside. I still do, but circumstances have prevailed upon me to reconsider my stance on the treadmill. I was made aware that, even though I prefer to run outside, I am often prohibited from doing it, due to weather and darkness. A treadmill allows me to run whenever I have the time, regardless of the weather or the time of day.

            I will confess that I have taken to the treadmill; not as a substitute for running outside, but as an alternative. The treadmill offers me several advantages that I am not afforded when I am on the trail. I can set the pace at which I run. I can adjust the incline, in order to increase the challenge. I can monitor my heart rate. And I can watch TV as I run. Something that is rather difficult when one is running on the trail.

            For all of the benefits that I have gained with my treadmill, I have noticed some significant drawbacks. Up to this point I have not been able to run as far on the treadmill as I do on the trail. My usual outdoor run is four miles. My usual treadmill run is only two miles. Also I am not able to easily vary my pace on the treadmill. I set the pace at the beginning of my run and the machine dutifully keeps me running at that pace. When I am running outside, I vary my pace throughout the run. Normally, I am slightly slower on my first mile. On miles two and three I settle into a slightly faster pace. When I hit the three miles mark, I push a little more to the end on my run. On the treadmill, I am in a controlled environment. The temperature is constant and I don’t have to deal with any environmental issues. When I am on the trial my environment is constantly changing. I may be running in the hot sun or a light rain. I often have to contend with the wind, which can be very strong at times. And there are always bugs of some sort to contend with.

            As I was running on the trail the other day, I thought about how my Christian life is similar to my experience with the trail and the treadmill. When I settle into a comfortable routine, I feel like I am on a treadmill. My days all look pretty much the same. I do the same things over and over again, without much change of pace. When I am actively engaged in serving Christ, I feel like I am running on the trail. When I step out of my comfortable routine, I am confronted with a constantly changing environment. I feel the heat of opposition. I feel the rain of discouragement. I face the irritations of unexpected obstacles in my way. The temptation is to get back on the treadmill as quickly as possible. But, here is the most important point of this analogy. When I am on the treadmill, I am not really going anywhere. I am marking time, covering the same small space over and over. When I am on the trail, I am actually moving forward. I am covering new and different ground with each step.

            I believe the Pharisees were running on the spiritual treadmill, and that is why Jesus had such harsh words for them. They were wrapped up in keeping the Law and maintaining the status quo. They were not really moving forward spiritually. They were just marking time. They demonstrated all of the outward signs of being religious, but they were not moving closer to God.

            When Jesus called his first disciples, he invited them out onto the trail. His invitation was simple: follow me. In Matthew 4, Jesus called Peter and Andrew to leave their treadmill life and experience something completely new.

            As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20 (NIV)

            Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, He was constantly on the trail. He refused to settle into a comfortable, treadmill life. He intentionally challenged the status quo, engaged with common people, and kept moving forward.

            I am feeling like I have been running on the treadmill lately. At a conference I attended recently, I was challenged to break away for my comfortable norm and discover the trail again. I am looking for that trail, where Christ is calling me to follow Him.

            Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)