Set

Moonlight reflected off Manila Bay. Pop tunes pounded in the background. Nervous adrenaline rippled throughout the crowd. Some clustered in groups, chatting excitedly as they waited. Some, like myself, stood quietly in the twilight and focused on the looming challenge. Without exception, all the racers stretched, hopped, or moved in various ways, warming early-morning muscles or simply burning anxiety. All eyes remained glued to the starting line and the countdown clock. The time was ticking lower. The race was drawing closer by the second.

Ready? Yes. We had all prepared for this.

Set? Definitely.

This morning was my first 10K. For seasoned marathoners, ten kilometers is a leisurely stroll. But for me, a relatively new runner, this race held monumental significance. Only days before my 33^rd birthday, I determined something that early morning in April. I. Would. Not. Stop. Not once. I’m not getting younger, and the sight of spry, athletic twenty-somethings surrounding me was a reminder. Today was the day to tackle ten kilometers. My mind was set.

Ready. Set. Go. Run. Don’t stop.

I certainly didn’t place in that race. It’s no surprise that I didn’t break any records. But I accomplished what I had set my mind to do. Even when my lungs were heaving, even after my mind had clicked into primal survival mode, I continued to run. When I crossed the finish line, two thoughts dominated my mind.

1. “That was sheer torture, but… I did it.”

2. “I DID IT! And I can’t wait to do it again.”

So often, we prepare ourselves for the day, for particular challenges, for lofty goals. We’re ready.

We look the part. “I just changed out of my pajama pants, slapped on some lipstick, and curled my hair. If I can fool others into thinking I have it all together, surely I can fool myself and change my world.”

We’re educated enough. “Last month, I read that book about extending Gospel-centered grace to my kids. It was life-changing… OK, so maybe it was last year, and maybe I spend most days making my parenting all about me. But reading the book must count for something, right?”

We know what to do and how to do it. “Ughhh, I’m so tired. I only had time to crack open my Bible and breathe a quick prayer after rolling out of bed this morning. I have no idea what I said or what He said, but I just blame it on this hectic phase of life. God understands.”

Are we really set in our purposes?

Ready…Set…

If we skip the step to set, we are not truly ready to go.

To be set is defined as being situated or fixed in a specified place or position. Simply put, to set means to decide on. We make goals, and we desire big change, but we don’t commit to seeing them through. We don’t truly decide.

Oh, I know firsthand that it’s fun to dream and to make lofty lists of goals. As an INFP on the Myers-Briggs scale and as an Enneagram Nine with a One-Wing, I have been coined by both as “The Dreamer.” This may sound romantic, but I assure you, it’s not. I am often restless and discontent. I see the many possibilities in this life, and they continually swim through my mind like swarms of tropical fish darting around a reef. It’s easy for me to remain submerged in my bubbly, turquoise dreams, like a diver floating through the vibrancy undersea. Sometimes I lack the fortitude to come up for air, find my land footing, and get to the mundane work.

Thankfully, as a dreamer, I am married to an accomplisher. In the realest sense, my husband Calvin has made many of my dreams come true. We often joke that we may not be doing what we do today, living in the Philippines, parenting our firecracker of a Congolese daughter, and beginning the first stages of another adoption, if it weren’t for the combination of my never-ending crazy and his natural commitment.

In the first part of Psalm 91:14, God refers to a believer who is truly set:

“Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him.”

In the original Hebrew, set his love can be likened to a cementing of myself to God. The wording evokes flowery imagery, but the true sense refers to a fierce commitment of my entire self to Him. As a Christ follower, everything rests on my connection with Jesus. My relationship with Him is foundational to my career dreams, my family goals, and my personal bucket list. I want – no, I need a solid friendship with my Savior. I’ve been around the reef a few times. I’ve repeatedly dreamed the spiritual dreams. I’ve seen the beauty He offers in the depths. But here I am again, standing on the sand, water lapping at my ankles, unable to find my footing.

Ready? Yes. Of course, I know Jesus.

Set? Not quite. I’ve spent too much time in the water, dreaming the dreams. The cement is still wet.

And here I stand, trapped between the colorful dreams and the fierce commitment, unable to go.

The second half of Psalm 91:14 refers God’s commitment to us: “I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.” We set our love upon Him. He sets us on high. This is the spiritual equation for success in this life, for a foundation on which to accomplish your goals.

Dreamers, I know it’s easier to stay immersed in the breathtaking beauty of your fantasies. But it’s time pull yourself out of the water. We’re not getting any younger. This earthly life isn’t getting any longer. Make a fierce determination to those God-given goals. Every morning, renew your commitment and give the cement a chance to strengthen. Stand on it with solid footing. Eye the starting line.

Ready. Set. Go.