Chasing Rabbits

We live in a neighborhood in a fairly large city. Our neighborhood has a diverse mix of people, houses, cars, and dogs. One unusual resident is a family of rabbits who live somewhere undetermined along our street. They are cute little bunnies that seem harmless. However, they have an appetite for the blooms on some of my wife's favorite flowers.

In our neighborhood, we don't shoot rabbits, set traps, throw rocks, or physically chase them to another street or neighborhood. We just let them be and continue to eat the pink blooms off of our plants (apparently they only like the blooms - they leave the leaves alone).

Why I am writing about rabbits today? Well, yesterday, the guest preacher at our church spoke from Ecclesiastes 1-2 about "Chasing the Wind." The focus was that we chase after things in life to find meaning and happiness that have no lasting impact. These were things such as wisdom, wealth, and pleasure - all things in this life that don't endure. His main thrust was that the only thing that lasts and brings true fulfillment in life is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Our speaker clarified the futility of "Chasing the Wind." My title today of "Chasing Rabbits" needs some clarification. The phrase "chasing rabbits" is most often used to designate when a speaker, or preacher, departs from a serious topic to tell something frivolous. As a preacher and occasional teacher, I have even pointed out that I was about to chase a rabbit. Usually, I thought the chase would bring humor, clarity, a break of tension, or was just a comment I wanted to make. The rabbit was never caught and often only disrupted a serious train of thought.

The truth is that we all chase rabbits from time to time. They become distractions to what is really important. For instance, we avoid answering the question about our motives or our behavior by chasing the rabbit of culture or everyone else is doing it or thinks that way.

Sometimes when we are faced with our own sin or sinfulness, we look in the mirror and chase a rabbit. Our response is that we are better than almost everyone we know. Sorry - that rabbit doesn't justify our own behavior and thoughts.

Many years ago I heard a preacher say, "When it is just you and God, there is no need to lie." God is not distracted by the rabbits we bring to the conversation. He is always focused on bringing each of us into a personal, loving, saving relationship with Himself.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have

everlasting life."

John 3:16

Rabbits are everywhere, but what does God want us to pursue in this life. I believe that He desires that first we put our full faith and trust in Him through Jesus Christ. And second, that we live a life of obedience to Him and become true illustrations of what it means to be a Christ follower in the way we live, what we say, and the truth we share.

Chasing rabbits only keeps us from being the people that God created us to be. This week, are there some rabbits you need to stop chasing and spend that time fulfilling God's purpose in your life?