“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 2 For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.“
As you know, I am a runner. I love to run and push myself with that exercise. I also like to read about the effects of exercise and running. Gretchen Reynolds writes for the New York Times and once a week she has an article about exercise and the effects of it on our lives. Last week she wrote this article about the need for intensity in our exercise regiments. There was no runner in my lifetime who has shown the understanding and desire for intensity like Steve Prefontaine. Pre (as he was called) had only one speed and that was “all out”. He once told Sports Illustrated magazine, “A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into an exhausting pace, and then at the end who can punish himself even more.” Now, that is intense. We are not all like that, but some are and that level of intensity can show up in the companies where we work or the companies with whom we compete. It is without question that companies that have a healthy level of intensity to succeed and win in the marketplace will be the standouts. As we are still working through the beginning of this year, let’s take a look at ourselves and see if we have enough intensity to meet and exceeds the goals that we have set for ourselves.
We have to look no further than the beginning of the ministry of Jesus to understand what intensity is all about. Jesus spent 40 days in fasting in the desert with as an intense of temptation as one could ever imagine. I have wondered why God (we are told it was the Holy Spirit) would put Jesus into this situation. I am sure there is a theological reason that is above my education and understanding, but for me, this was the time that readied Jesus for what it was that He would endure and suffer for the rest of his earthly life. He was tested and like metal was forged through the intensity of the situation. If our Lord would lower Himself to such a level of intensity, then we can handle a little more in our lives by upping our own passion and intensity in daily following and working according to glory for Him.
Reference: Matthew 4:1-2 (New Living Translation)