My Mundane Monday and my plea to myself.

I start some of the days off right. Even if I wake up at noon, I get my spiritual disciplines going most of the time I think. Yet a little compromise here and another one there land me at 5pm having accomplished nothing but attaching my affections to things such as basketball and facebook. Nothing really bad or anything ... After all it's just commenting on someone's status. It's just a couple (many) 4-5 minute clips on youtube. Technically not "sinful" things ... Well, that was today for me haha. My monday.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Hebrews 12:1-2 was a verse I had memorized sophomore year. I thought there was just something about it that I wanted to always have with me just in case y'know? I dunno ... But anyway, it has made its way to me this summer and listening to some teaching on it, I've learned that it's not just sin that we must lay aside and do everything in our power to put to death, but its every "weight" too. In other words it's not just avoiding our more obvious idols of hate, lust, gossip, approval, money, success, control, (or other thoughts or things that tend to consume our time and emotive energy) ... etc., but it's also a laying aside of anything and everything that hinders and pulls us down, keeping us from running with endurance the race set before us ... Even if those things are not morally sinful at all.

Today was a really unproductive day. Part of me honestly feels a sort of shame that comes with it. I heard myself today saying things like this: "I'm about to be a senior. I shouldn't have days like this. Laziness shouldn't be an option for me. There's more life to be had. I've robbed myself ... aiya ... I thought I was more 'spiritually mature' than this. I thought I was on the path of 'putting childish ways behind me.' Ehhhhhh. Woe is me." Heh. Yet, what I've learned of my lazy Monday is confronting the question of "how much do you really treasure Jesus?" It's just an honest question because turning on the computer for me has all these options of things that aren't "sinful" by nature but yank at my heart's affections to the point where Jesus is more leftovers than treasure. I'd rather take basketball or I'd rather take drumming. God, help my heart ... I might even take theology to avoid Jesus altogether. Maybe I'd rather have "my time" that I've felt like I've earned or something because I felt like I never had a summer for myself. God, really do help me ...

Dear Jon Lau, Jesus is better. Fix your eyes on, look to Jesus, the one who found your faith, and the one who will perfect your faith to the end. Glue your eyes to Jesus who saved you from Ephesians 2:1-3 and who will finish what he started. All that is somewhat enthusiasm-instilling from facebook comments and replays of basketball mixes you've already exhausted will always be there to rob you from "a holiday at the sea." (C.S. Lewis) Don't be so easily satisfied. You know there's more. You know it. You've seen it amongst brothers and sisters amongst you. You've read of the history of the men and women of this faith from that book of your faith (Hebrews 11). It's yours to have too. "Therefore," lay aside every little thing that isn't even necessarily sinful and lay aside every little thing that is sinful and run after Him. "Fix your eyes on the prize."

Jon, you will find yourself in need of strength sooner than you probably expect this semester. Your sin will probably be more exposed than you'd like. Your childishness that you wish would just stay in the grave with the old Jon will resurface probably more than you thought it possibly could. In those times this semester where you find yourself there, you're going to need constant reminder of why you are free to keep pressing on. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells you to look to Jesus, and specifically how Jesus ran his race. He had his eyes on the joy set before Him. And that joy set before him was what spurred Jesus to endure the cross, "despising its shame." What kept Jesus setting target for Jerusalem, for Golgotha, for the tearing off of the flesh on his back, and the humiliation of the crucifixion was what exactly the cross was accomplishing: the adoption of sinners into the family of a holy, loving God. The glorious thing is that after Jesus rose 3 days later and ascended after 40 days, Jesus took seat at the right hand of the throne of God as if to say "it is finished" (John 19:30). You would do well to believe those words of exclamation.

What will hold you fast and allow you to run with endurance during your trials this semester and school year (reality check: they are coming ...) will not be the approval of your peers and ministry partners and pastors. It will not be ministry "success" for AFC. It will not be the success rate of your jump shot or the slight bit of awe you may receive from your peers on the court. It will not be whether you're actually getting that 4.0 GPA that you've failed to achieve all throughout college. It will not even be whether or not you finish out your bible-reading goals and acquire theological acumen. It will be the grand, satisfying message of that theology: Jesus. Look to him, Fix your eyes on Him. He is the message of the Bible, not you.

Praise Christ that when glory goes to where glory is due, immense joy is found there too. Want more Jon. Daily go to war to want more than you currently do. He loves You enough to want more for You than You do for yourself. He is the more.
-Jon