“Anybody can start a race. The real question over our lives is not how strong we will begin our race to pursue God’s call but how strong we will finish it.”- Banning Liebscher
“Let us finish with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”- Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)
Banning Liebscher continues Chapter 1 of Rooted as he explains why finishers impress. Finishers see what many people fail to see. As a result, finishers understand the infinite superiority of God’s version of success. In contrast,the world’s version falls far short. While the number of warm bodies in the pews on Sunday morning or Facebook likes may reveal some aspects of fruitfulness, at best they’re temporal measures of success.
However, Pastor Liebscher observes, lasting fruit only blossoms through the long faith journey. That’s when we put our roots down deep in Jesus. Thus, the only thing to matter at the end of our lives is whether our hearts aligned with Jesus. The success of our resultant long-term fruit must motivate us to embrace Christ’s root-building process.
Therefore, Banning expresses his passion over calling and equipping believers to not only embrace but thrive in God’s root-building process. To that end, the author states that he:
- wrote Rooted in order to take a look at Scripture and learn what to expect as God works to establish your deep roots
- wants to free you in the knowledge that youre right where God wants you
- plns to set you up to recognize and work with God as He builds you so that you dont resist Him
In conclusion, Pastor Liebscher notes that in Rooted we’ll study King David’s life. Consequently, we’ll look at the different elements God used to develop his root system. As you’ll read in the next blog, Banning observes that God prepared David in three different soils.
Today’s question: What Scriptures strenghten you in pursuing God’s call? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Before He [God] develops our vision”
