“You familiar with the expression, ‘You can run but you can’t hide’?” Stan asked me one morning.
“Well,” I replied, “as far as I know, it’s attributed to a professional boxer who said it, or something like it, before some big fight.”
“Yeah,” Stan replied, “I think you’re right. Joe Louis.”
“But why do you ask?” I said.
“It came to mind earlier this morning when I was reading the apostle Paul’s first letter to his friend Timothy.”
“Is that where he wrote about fighting the good fight?” I asked with a smile
“No,” Stan replied with a bit of a laugh, “but that was good!”
“The part I read that reminded me of running but not being able to hide,” he continued, “was where Paul was writing to Timothy about the fact that good deeds are obvious and bad deeds can’t be hidden.”
“Can’t be hidden? Why not?”
“That’s what the Bible says,” Stan replied. “Jesus said it and the apostle Paul wrote it in one of his letters to the church in Corinth. We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”
“So even if people think they may be getting away with something they’ve done,” I said, “they’re going to have to account for it at some point; they won’t be able to hide it forever. Is that what you mean?”
“Yeah,” Stan replied, “that’s it. I don’t think that’s what Joe Louis was talking about before the big fight, but it sure is a good reminder for me.”
“A reminder,” I said, “that even though your sins are forgiven because you ran to the cross and accepted Jesus’s finished work, if you don’t want known the bad things you’ve done, don’t do them!”
“That’s it,” Stan said. “I may be able to hide bad stuff for a little while, but it will eventually come out, and if I don’t want that to happen, the best way is for there to be nothing to come out. I need to choose to live a holy life.”
“A holy life?” I responded. “How’s a person supposed to do that?”
“Big subject,” Stan said. “One we can talk about forever, but, in a nutshell, I find it is useful if I focus on why the Spirit of the living Christ who lives in me is called ‘The Holy Spirit’ as well as ‘The Helper’. He is in me to help me be holy. I am to let Him do why He’s there!”
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Bible verses to consider:
Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed. 1 Timothy 5:25.
He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out. Proverbs 10:9.
For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths. Proverbs 5:21.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you have provided all I need to live life as you intend. You provided the way for me to know I will spend eternity in your presence when my time here is finished. You gave me the Holy Spirit to live in me to help me work out the salvation you worked in. I have all I need, but too often I choose not to live the holy life you have for me to live. Why? Because I want to do what I want to do apart from you and what you have for me to be and to do. Please forgive that foolish approach to living this life. And please, Father, help me follow every step of your lead in living the life you intend. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life with Him eternally when your time here is completed? If no, why? Are you trying to hide from Him? If so, why would you want to do that? If you do have the assurance of salvation and redemption, are there things in your life you are trying to hide from God and/or from others? If so, what is that all about? If you sense the need to be more (totally) open to God so there is nothing you are trying to hide, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 