Exhausted yet pursuing

It's a cold day in Cleveland, Tennessee, and yet these young people are doing their workout. Saturday morning, no less. Many miles. It speaks of a self-discipline that I lack.

This weekend I read of another group of self-disciplined ones, Gideon and his men who were pursuing the kings of Midian after they had defeated the Midianites in battle. Correction: after God had defeated the Midianites in battle as Gideon and his 300-strong army blew their trumpets and looked on. But the kings were still on the loose, being chased by Gideon and his minuscule army. Judges 8:4: And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing.

Isn't that a great description? How can we apply that to our Christian lives? What are we pursuing? Psalm 34, Romans 14 and 1 Peter 3 say "peace". 1 Corinthians 14 says "love". Paul tells Timothy twice to pursue "righteousness, godliness, faith, love, and peace". We ought to be pursuing these things even if exhausted from the pursuit, knowing that it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

Mostly, though, I think we are to be pursuing the God who pursued us at the cost of His own Son, to be looking at what He has done, meditating on it, observing His glory in His world and in His mighty acts on our behalf. Let us not tire of looking; let us pursue the knowledge and grace of God while yet exhausted.

So, as we remember this week especially the wonders God has wrought on our behalf, take this familiar Scripture to heart: 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).

May it be said of us what was said of Gideon; may we be exhausted yet pursuing.