Move With A Purpose

I had to run into the grocery store for a few things.
As I walked from my car to the entrance, I heard the beeping.
I looked around expecting to see a truck reversing in the parking lot.
There was no truck.

I wondered if it was someone’s car alarm.
All the cars I passed were silently parked in their space.
As I was walking, I saw a man pull out of a handicapped parking space.
He made such a wide turn that I had to get out of the way.

The beeping was getting louder.
As I got close to the handicapped parking space, I saw what was making the sound.
It was a motorized shopping cart that many grocery stores have for their customers.
I assumed that the man who just pulled out of the space had used that cart in the store.

I have no idea why the motorized shopping cart was beeping.
Perhaps the battery was low and needed to be recharged.
Perhaps it was not turned off properly.
Rather than try to push any buttons myself, I told the woman at customer service.

Again? She asked no one in particular.
Thanks for letting me know, she added.
I left the customer service desk to get the few things I needed.
I wondered how many times a day the motorized shopping carts beeped?

When I left the store, I saw a motorized shopping cart against the wall.
It was plugged in and charging.
I wondered if one of the young men who get the shopping carts brought it inside.
I got outside and knew the answer; the beeping sound was still heard.

After my morning walk, I decided to do some more aerobic exercise.
It is cold and I did not want to drive to a place near my home with a lot of hills.
It had been suggested that doing stairs would be just as effective.
I thought that was a perfect suggestion for a cold day.

I went up the straight back stairs that are in my laundry room.
I walked the long upstairs hallway.
I came down the curved staircase that is in the foyer.
I repeated that same route over and over again.

Intervals, my husband said.
It’s like doing stadium steps, Mom, one of my daughters said.
What I did was an abridged version of what they both suggested.
Up and down two flights of stairs, ten times very fast, was a way to get my heart beating.

I finished and recovered quickly.
I laughed at the thought that I never went anywhere.
I took steps; I climbed flights of stairs numerous times but I stayed in the same place.
Like the motorized shopping cart, there was movement and sound but no forward progress.

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14)

Many of us are like the motorized shopping cart where our faith is concerned.
We park ourselves in a place, which keeps us from moving forward.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we made a beeping sound so others know we need help in our journey?
Wouldn’t it be nice if we knew when we need to recharge our spiritual batteries?

Some of us are like those who exercise by running up and down a staircase.
There is a lot of motion to get your heart pumping but you are not getting to a new destination.
Steps may be counted on your phone, flights may be noted, but the destination is the same.
How many of our faith journeys are just like that?

There might be a lot of activity and busyness but we end up right where we started.
There may be a lot of noise and saying the right things but we are parked and stagnant.
Jesus talks about Living Water, which is water that is moving.
Stagnant water is not moving; it is dirty and filled with bugs and debris after a while.

Motion just for the sake of motion is not beneficial.
Motion that helps us grow in our faith is what God wants for us.
It is movement with a purpose.
It is movement that helps us grow so that we know God better.

Move with a purpose in your spiritual journey.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will help you know God and His Word better.
Staying stagnant is not an option.
Be intentional to know God and His word better today than you did yesterday.

 

2 responses to “Move With A Purpose”

1. Amen!

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   • Blessings, friend!

     Reply