I love playing tennis when I get the chance and when you play tennis there is nothing more satisfying than when you and the racquet perform as one. When you're hustling cross court to return that line drive and you arrive just in time to see your forehand make perfect contact with the ball. As a result the ball catapults off the strings with a loud melodical “thwaaat.” The sound you only get when you hit the ball in the perfect part of the racquet head, the sweet spot.
There’s tons of science that goes into the sweet spot, but really all you need to know is that every racquet has an optimal spot to hit the ball. And when the user grips it, swings it, and makes proper contact, the racquet performs as it was designed to. The vibration to the user’s hands is minimized, the ball speed off the racquet is maximized, and the control and placement of the shot is at its highest. When this all comes together you have the optimal tennis shot. And the goal of the tennis player is to stay in the sweet spot as much as possible.
If you really think about it there is not much difference in your walk with Jesus Christ. There is a place the Christ follower can live their life, operate, worship, handle problems, and deal with difficult people and situations, all while operating in the sweet spot of Jesus. The questions that arise are, where exactly is this sweet spot and once you locate it, how do you attempt to operate in it the majority of your time?
1 Chronicles 12 shows us a rare, sweet spot in the lineage of Israelite Kings. If you studied through 1 and 2 Kings with me, you recall that the good times were far less scarce than the bad times as out of a total of 42 kings only 5 were considered righteous in the eyes of God. Not a good ratio. As a result, the split kingdoms of North and South Israel each experienced much tumult and anguish because of their reckless disobedience to God. God is a God of harmony and order and when people refuse to operate by his standards, His harmony is non-existent.
But when hearts beat to the rhythm of God’s laws, statutes and systematic order, there is no more resounding sweet spot. King David is quite the conundrum in the lineage of Kings. He was ordained by Samuel as a shepherd boy but would not take the throne from Saul for almost 20 years. And for the majority of those years, Saul was hot on his heels trying to do nothing less than end his life. An odd existence for the God ordained king of Israel. But as we see in chapter 12 today, when God’s perfect plan comes to fruition, the sweet spot resounds with God fueled joy. We see David’s mighty men and family surround him, and the anointed chosen king of God’s people finally finds his place upon the throne. And as he did, we find these simple words.
“For there was joy in Israel.”
I believe that joy is the direct by-product of operating in the sweet spot of God. That is allowing your life to be used by God in a way that will maximize the way He built you. Without a heart that fully submits to God in all aspects of life, the sweet spot will allude that life. But beyond personal choices that can affect a life living in the sweet spot, there is an evil one that controls this world and he and his team of demons will do all in their power to distract, tempt and lure lives away from that sweet spot. The battle is on to claim the joy of God’s children.
Margie and I have been dealing with the latter the last several days. We both felt a little under the weather only to get tested and find out we both were positive for Covid. Praise God it was a very light strain that only put us down for 36 hours, but still, it seems enough to get us out of the rhythm of living in the sweet spot. You see, there are many factors that can easily affect your closeness with Christ, one of them being physical well-being. There is no quicker way to get your eyes off the sweet spot of Christ than by taking someone’s health away. Just go back and look at the chosen method that satan used to do his best to get Job to curse God. He took the certainty of his health away and allowed him to live in the squalor of wretched sickness.
Another factor is emotional. Satan not only took Job’s health, but he struck down his entire family in a blow that must have devastated Job ten times as much as the incessant sores upon his flesh. The evil one can deal emotional stress and trauma that can have you sauntering away from the sweet spot before you even know what happened. Margie and I now find ourselves quarantined for a few weeks, denied access to family, friends and fellowship. As many of you know because of the pandemic, the denial of this essential interaction and exchange with loved ones packs a blow that can quickly have you on your knees.
As these two weapons combine, they can form a vicious weapon of the evil one. Physical sickness and health uncertainty combined with emotional isolation can send even the strongest Christ follower on a journey that is opposite of where they wish to travel. So, what is the key to combating these? How do you effectively fight to stay in the sweet spot of Christ? Well, the best I can understand in my crying out to God is…nothing. That is, do nothing new, simply stay the course with what got you into the sweet spot in the first place. You see, God never moves or changes, if you find yourself feeling distant from God, He’s not the one that moved. Move back closer to Him just as you have done all your Christian life.
God’s Word, prayer, service, and fellowship, the big 4. Daily time in God’s Holy Word is imperative in staying in God’s sweet spot. It is the rudder that keeps the life of the Christ follower on track. As the currents of life get vicious, you can’t afford to let go of the rudder for even one day. For in that one day you can see yourself swept off course miles and miles. I missed a few days in my study time due to Covid and I could feel it in my Spirit. A loss. One day out of God’s Word allows a major foothold for the enemy. Don’t give an inch.
Prayer. There is a difference between throwing up a few prayers and crying out to your Heavenly Father. If you find yourself out of that sweet spot cry out to God to draw you back in. Without the strength and protection of Christ, this world will devour you, steal your joy and greatly damage your walk with Him. Cry out to God and He is faithful to answer the pleas of His children.
Service and fellowship have never been more difficult during this pandemic, but don’t give up. There is strength in the body of Christ, strength you desperately need. Use Zoom, texts, phone, email, and if available to you, in person meetings to stay in contact with those that are in the same walk to help you, pray for you, and shoulder burdens with you. Satan is described as a roaring lion roaming about looking for someone to devour, don’t be the lone gazelle out on the plain.
Today, I would appreciate your prayers as Margie and I fight to stay in the sweet spot. Through illness, isolation, displacement, uncertainty with the IMB, and the rigors of seminary classes we will be fighting. Next week we are taking a seminary intensive class in missions that will be Monday through Friday, 7:30-5 with research papers due the week after. Due to the time demand I do not think I will be able to dedicate the necessary time to write the 5MC each day. Daily time with Christ that I have grown to love passionately. While I'm away from the keyboard, I will be praying for each of you, for your daily time in God’s Word, for your prayerful pleas to the Father, and for your emotional and healthful existence during this pandemic.
At all costs, no matter what is thrown at you today…fight ferociously to stay in the sweet spot of Christ, for in that harmonious sweetness is where the abundant joy of God lies.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
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