Who remembers Walker, Texas Ranger? When you’re in Texas look behind you . . . cuz THAT’S where Ranger’s gonna be!

Love that show . . . love the intro song . . . and LOVE LOVE LOVE that Chuck Norris sang that song himself! . . . indeed he did, check the opening credits next time.

For a while, that was my go-to show when I would do some cardio at the gym. It’s quite inspiring to see bad guys side kicked in the name of justice! However, as I examined my schedule in the attempt to consume more Scripture and/or teaching, I found no room. No room for additional teaching or devotional time.

Then 1 Corinthians 6:12 came to mind: “’All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful.”

Walker was perfectly fine for me to watch, but it wasn’t helping me become a more solid man of God. So, I decided that on MOST (not EVERY) days at the gym, Walker had to go and just like that I found an extra 40 or so minutes per day in my schedule.

In this portion of Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church, he seems to be quoting a saying circulated by the people of the church where they believed that since works did not earn salvation, their behavior was not important and they could do anything.[1] It was a misuse & misunderstanding of the freedom we have in Christ.[2]

While I certainly think we need to recognize that we are not saved by works but rather faith, our works do serve a purpose.

They can either draw us closer to Jesus or push us further away.

And that’s what Paul is getting at in this Scripture. Just because we have freedom in Christ, doesn’t mean that our actions don’t affect us.

And I would argue that most things in this fallen world will draw us away from God if we’re not intentional.

Be intentional today.

Thoughts to Journal/Pray

1. What’s your “Walker”? What is lawful but not helpful and just filling your schedule?
2. What areas of your life & what actions might you be unintentionally exploiting God’s grace?

Reading:

1 Corinthians 6:12-20