THE MOTIONS

If you listen to contemporary Christian radio, you’ve undoubtedly heard Matthew West’s song “The Motions.” For those who haven’t heard it, here are the lyrics to the verses and refrain:

This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,instead of going through the motions?"

No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

'Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,instead of going through the motions?"

Whenever I hear the song, I have to admit that I’m indicted. There are times in my life (far more than I’d probably like to think about or admit) when I coast. I get complacent and think, “The status quo is OK for today.” And in those moments, while I’m not hurting anyone through my half-way attitude and actions, I’m certainly not helping anyone.

Somehow I don’t think I’m alone. We all go through those “nothing” times in our lives when our minds tell us that we deserve a break, that we don’t have to work at justice or compassion or kindness today because we did it yesterday and it’s on our agenda for tomorrow. But living as a follower of Jesus Christ is not like that. Living as a faithful follower means that we work at these things non-stop, because the needs never stop surfacing. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, they must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.”

But we can’t do it alone. We can’t keep up a breakneck pace of ministry without returning to the well to be refilled and refueled from time to time. And we can’t wait until it’s too late or else we end up like the tinman in the Wizard of Oz…frozen, motionless (and sometimes e-motionless), and useless. And so in the midst of doing justice and loving kindness, let us remember to walk humbly with our God. God’s consuming passion in our lives can make us whole and supply us with exactly what we need to continue strong in the tasks God has set before us.

I don’t want to get to the end of my ministry…the end of my life…and wonder “What if…?” I don’t want to simply go through the motions. Lord, I need your help…let’s chat!