Sanctification is a process. I hate this. I would much rather it were an immediate, one time thing. Unfortunately that is reserved for justification.
In elementary school, I learned how to polka. God bless Upsala Elementary. As any self-respecting fourth grade boy can attest, this was the worst possible way to spend your gym class. I would much rather play indian pins (political correctness was not on the radar), big base, or floor hockey. But to have to learn the dish rag, the waltz, and other dances that I can't remember was sheer torture. Especially when you consider that we performed at halftime at a high school basketball game. I was so embarassed.
As I was thinking about how frustrating it is to be a saint but still a sinner, I thought back to the only dance Jim Koczur taught me that I didn't hate: the bunny hop. All I remember of the bunny hop is lining up with my classmates and "heel toe heel toe, heel toe heel toe. Forward, back, one, two, threeing" my way across the gym floor. A few steps forward, one step back.
A lot like sanctification. Sometimes I get it right. Other times I feel like I have my hands on the hips of the class smelly kid listening to polka from a cassette in a tinny-sounding boombox borrowed from Ms. Busman in the music room.
I need a God who works for me. And...done.
Jeremiah 32:37-41
"Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlating covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul."
That's good enough for me.
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5 comments:
Thanks for the word. Keep bringing it.
A couple weeks ago we were at a play and beforehand and durıng the ıntermıssıon they were playıng some festıve musıc that remınded me a lot of those gym classes. I even talked about ıt wıth whoever would lısten (mostly Steve and the lady next to me). I dıd not thınk of sanctıfıcatıon, but maybe next tıme I wıll.
Josh, I have to say when I read the title on this one I wasn't sure I had read it right and could not imagine where you were going with it. By the end however, I had to read it aloud to Andy, because I liked it so much. I don't think I will ever think of polka music the same way again.
This post was indeed written with Upsala Elementary Alums in mind. You don't learn the polka from Mr. Koczur or Mr. Lundeen and walk away unchanged. It's a seminal moment in life.
If anything, that's the most I took from elementary gym.
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