Effort

So, I'm in Marching Band. (Marching BAYund!) And we are currently working our butts off at Band Camp, like we do every summer before school starts, and it's a lot of hard work. We go through the same process every day from 8AM-4PM (with an hour for lunch): Stretch, Basics Block, learning/reviewing drill, lunch, music sectionals, and then putting everything together on the field. It's a routine system. And it takes effort. Lots and lots of effort. Effort and determination. I mean really, about everyone there wakes up around 6:30 in the morning, to march on the hard hot black-top that's our marching field. We wake up early, to start early; to march on the hard ground for about six hours a day, getting sunburned from standing outside (I could literally feel the heat coming off the blacktop through my shoes), becoming exhausted from working so hard, possibly getting stung by bees buzzing around, gaining hard-earned muscles from so much marching, and being pushed by everyone to give it our all.

All of it takes effort. Lots and lots of effort. The only way to make progress is if you WANT to make progress, which, most of us do, so we put in the effort and hard work to make that progress.

I got to thinking about that kind of thing today, and how it matches up with the way things should be with God. I mean, if you want to build a relationship with Him, it takes effort. Hard-earned work. God reaches out to us, but we're the only ones that can make the connection with Him by reaching out to Him, too. He's always there for us, and we have to be there for Him too. It's a two-way relationship. Otherwise, it would be like talking to someone's back. Like God is reaching out for us, but we aren't making the effort to reach back to Him. In order to connect with Him, we need that effort in there. Time has to be put in to talk to God, to learn from God, to be with God. He can't do all the work for you; that doesn't benefit you.

And sure, it takes a lot of hard work to reach Him sometimes, but you have to remember that He's always reaching out for you in return. He has the effort to call on you; all you have to do is answer.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalm 139

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
love and faithfulness go before you.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord .
They rejoice in your name all day long;
they exult in your righteousness.
Psalm 89:14-16