Bull’s Eye

post 103

For the past few days I have been ambushed by the enemy, and now I find myself trying to retake ground I have let slip, I have turned my focus just slightly from the divine to the temporal, and like Peter have begun to sink back into the realm of the temporal. Matthew 14:29 *1
This does not appear to be sin, or evil, but it is not as good as I am able, nor is it where I want to remain at this time. *2
I picture it like this;

There are many who choose archery as a hobby, some are even quite active and very good, The competitions and the practices fine tune their abilities to some very impressive results.
But a few choose to become very serious with it and move into the arena of professional, abandoning virtually every other interest.
At this level, the field of accuracy narrows even further and what was once thought impossible becomes expected. These individuals are no longer content with a strike on the edge of the bull’s eye, they are now intently focused on the exact center of that tiny black dot.

This is what Jesus was showing us through the example of Peter walking on the water.
In the past months of locking myself away exclusively with the LORD I have seen the kind of fellowship with God which not long ago I had seen as impossible.
At this level of intensity I see things that would otherwise be beyond expectation, and I find the LORD pleased to share with me his heart in some matters.
But the effort is intense, and I turned my eyes for just a moment of rest to some of my temporal needs, and now that I am back to “work” I find I have lost some ground.

Help me O God to quickly regain the ground lost, to refocus on you alone, that I may continue to enjoy your fellowship.
I do not think God is done sharing with me his heart, and I don’t want to miss a thing!

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*1 “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” Luke 14:28-30

*2 Sin as defined by “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible”
OT: 2403 ,2398, 2401, 819, 7686, NT: majority 266, 264, 265, 361

Sin 2403 chattaah: from 2398; an offence.
Sin 2398 chata: a prime root; properly to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causality) to lead astray, condemn.
Sin 2401 chataah; feminine of 2399; an offence, or a sacrifice for it.
Sin 819 ashmah; feminine of 817; guiltiness, a fault, the presentation of a sin-offering.
Sin 7686 shagah; a prime root to stray (causative, mislead) usually (figurative) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress…
Sin 266 hamaria; from 264; sin (properly abstract)
Sin 264 hamartano; perhaps from 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of 3313; properly to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. to err, especially (morally) to sin.
Sin 265 hamartema; from 264; a sin
Sin 361 anamartetos; from 1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of 264; sinless.
1 A a, al-fah; of Hebrew origin; the first letter of the alphabet; figurative only (from its use as a numeral) the first;…

I have included here the many slight variations in which the Bible uses the word sin for the purpose of having complete understanding of what it means to “sin”.

Clearly the intent of the word is to represent a less than acceptable accomplishment at whatever was the intended. “To miss the mark”
As in my above narrative, sin then is an ever increasing circle of unacceptable as the expectation from the practitioner increases in skill.
Therefore what is “a good shot” for you, may be “sin” for me.
Romans 14:22-23 “Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
I now understand this verse to show that what I can and should expect from myself is for me alone. It is not a standard to apply to others, as each person is at various levels of skill and accomplishment.
This is why the archers target has many rings. Each ring defining a narrowing scope of acceptable achievement. For one stage of practice anything within the “3” circle may be a success worthy of smiling boldly! For another the same strike may be worthy of reprimand.

The topic of sin then is relative to genuine effort applied to the skill level achieved.
Therefore in my above narrative, my less than full attention and devotion to my intended target for me was indeed sin. I had missed the mark of which I am capable at my present level.

Paul uses a different analogy to describe the same concept;

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?
So run, that ye may obtain." I Corinthians 9:24

If we are entering the competition for any other goal than the prize, we have no intention of success, but merely practice at what? seeing how close we can get to the prize without achieving it? The very concept of competition is all about achieving.
If I go hunting for the purpose of the pleasure of hunting, and I am therefore not a practiced shot, I come home with no food, because I did not "run that I might obtain the prize."
The real point in hunting is to obtain the sustenance for survival.
If I forget that, I may have had a grand time, but end up starving to death!

In our present life of American luxury we find our sustenance in other ways, therefore leaving hunting to simply valueless entertainment. Therefore we have the luxury of deeming competition as destructive to the delicate emotional state of those who do not win, and destroy the very meaning of the representation God expected us to understand.

We have done the same thing with our faith.
We go to church, and read our bible, and act out the conduct of "good people" but are we even in this race to win the prize of salvation for our very souls?

"And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible." I Corinthians 9:25

As a now reasonably good archer, I watch you throw your arrow of faith at the target with one hand, covering your eyes with the other, and giggle at the shameful result.

The Great Prize Giver is not giggling, and the state of our Nation is a result of too many doing the same thing. Revelation 3:15 "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

Let this post not be criticism, but urge you to put down your spiritual French-Fries, wipe the grease from your hands and take up your bow with even the slightest seriousness.
and see for real just where your arrow lands.
Not to show you how bad a shot you are, but to identify from where you need to start your improvement. You are capable of so much more!
Run your race to win!
After all, they give prizes even in the Special Olympics.
Just give it your honest best, anything less is sin.

For those few of you consistently striking in the 3s, Nice shooting!
May I encourage you to avoid comparing yourself with those in the previous group, or even with those in your own class, and actively move your faith up into the next class.
Improvement can best come by practicing with those who are better, not comparing with those who are not. You too are capable of better still. II Corinthians 10:12 "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."
Your Lord needs you at the top of your game!

* * *

Expectations
Oct 24, 2010

Following the post “Bull’s Eye” a valued friend brought up the point of people in sports who are no longer fun to play with.
Golfers who throw clubs, tennis players who get violently angry, Basketball players who are forcefully determined, and the fun goes out of the activity with them.
So what went wrong?
Are they not striving to hit their mark?

I contend that the answer can be found in the very name we give to individuals in these activity pursuits, we call them Sportsmen.
But with this name is attached a caliber of conduct and character which is noticeable among those who are sufficiently practiced to achieve their lofty targets.

A very good golfer, who got his skill through great and long efforts of practice, has a demeanor reflecting that self-control of character required to achieve such skill.
But the player who got his talent naturally and has done very little to hone it, has an arrogant un-sportsman like attitude. This is the attitude of pride.
He may actually be very good, but his self glorification is an example of a character not of the type generally given to long hard efforts to achieve, at least in comparison to the talent nature has given him.

Then there is the week-ender who expects himself to make a Tiger Woods shot on every hole, but has no natural talent and done nothing to significantly suggest he should be able to expect these results.
This is the Club Thrower, and the attitude of Vanity.

* * *

The disappointment in playing with these people should not be confused with real sportsmen, who no matter how good they are, are always a pleasure to play with, because they never place upon you the expectation to achieve their skills.
They know very well that such skill comes at a very high price, and having paid such a price they have also acquired in the process a very stable nature regarding this skill.
Playing with this kind a person is a real honor because just being around them allows you to glean some great tricks and secrets and concepts valuable to your game. But even more than that, you can feel the overwhelming and appealing calm of their depth.

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