The Most Magnificent Mile

When I was in college I didn't live too far from Chicago.... I wouldn't say I "frequented" the city, but I went there with friends on occasion.  Sometimes, at this time of year, I'd go to roller blade down Lake Shore Drive with my room mate...it was the way we said, "WELCOME, SPRING!" on the first really nice day and we were always giddy about (dare I admit it) skipping class for that day and taking our road trip. Other times I went with friends to Comedy Sportz and Giordano's pizza or just to window shop the Magnificent Mile.  The city was magical to me.  Even after I graduated college, when I worked in the Admissions Office at Olivet Nazarene University, Chicago provided a draw for our prospective students.  We used our proximity to the city to our advantage in planning our event days and usually took busloads of visiting high school seniors into Chicago for an evening to experience some of the "magic" we loved so much.  We found this a powerful tool to recruiting when we added it to the college visit equation and, though we spent some extra money and time for the planning for those evening outings, our rate of matriculation from those overnight events was amazing and "paid off" in the end. :P

A devotional I read today reminded me of all of this as it talked about the "Miracle Mile".  It was referencing the extra mile that Jesus asks of Christians and was a great devotional about going the distance to love others.  It talked about the power in that extra mile to change lives....our own and others....as we look beyond our "duty" to repay good with good to a pure love that will even repay evil with good.

My mind always has a way of venturing other places, so I hope this next part will make sense.  I suppose if I lived in Chicago I would start to take for granted all the experiences at my fingertips. I might get settled in my routine and not retain the same thrill I had when going there was such a treat for me in college or even when I get a chance to go now.  I guess I feel like I do the same thing in my attitude toward living in the GRACE that the extra mile Jesus went for me welcomes me into.  Where do I live?  IN GRACE!!!!  BEST PLACE EVER!

I really liked this section of the devotional:  "When you begin to live out the commands of Christ in this passage, it will transform your life and give you joy and power. The first mile is the slave mile. You are required to go the first mile and you hate it every step of the way. But the second mile is the smile mile. You are doing it out of love. In the first mile you are the victim, but in the second, the victor. The first mile is the law, but the second is the love of God. The first mile can make you bitter, but the second gives you joy and peace. That second mile can completely change your attitude."

I am praying for a renewal of my attitude...sometimes I find myself living out of duty instead of a desire to love. I barely make my first mile of devotions and prayer and I miss out on the joy that the adventuresome, second mile takes me on,   I miss the mile of transformation for my spirit and, because of this....I miss out on what that mile might hold for my impact or witness on others when I am able to surprise them by going that distance to minister to them.

I want to remember the distance Christ has gone for me and allow His perfect example to be my inspiration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UuglRR3KdU