Leeks and Garlic Christians

     I preached from Philippians 3 this past Sunday on pressing forward toward the goal of Christ and the ultimate prize of Heaven.  In the process, I came across a statement by Dr. James Boice, describing believers who spend their time always talking about how things "used to be."  He called them "leeks and garlic Christians."  It's easy to pin that moniker on people that are coming to your mind right now, but I am challenged as I sit here at this moment to be sure I am not part of that group.  I'd like to suggest you do the same.
     The reference comes from Numbers.  The Israelites are complaining (again) to Moses about their diet and other circumstances that aren't up to specifications.  They are eating manna until they are sick of it.  Manna for breakfast, lunch and dinner would get old; let's be honest.  But their complaint included this longing glance back at Egypt.  "We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.  But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at" (Numbers 11: 5, 6).  Later in the passage, it talks about how they were weeping; they were so upset.
     Those who've been around the family for a little while remember that the Jewish people were in the desert, wandering because after they were delivered from Egypt by God, they were too afraid to enter the land of promise.  Now they were in wilderness years.  It was hot and dry.  They felt alone and frightened.  Food was hard to come by and they got tired of the menu.  They got so focused on how difficult it was where they were that they actually looked with fondness at Egypt.  Of course, they didn't mention the slavery.  They neglected to remember the whips of their masters.  They didn't seem to be worried about their loss of freedom at all.  The menu was better.
     Do you find it easy to look at your past and remember the good times fondly, almost wishing you could just go back there?  Resist the temptation to do that.  For starters; don't forget that the past was not as good as you remember it to be.  There were hard times then too, weren't there?  20 years ago (or whatever works for you) you had struggles too.  You looked forward to the days that were ahead.
     Paul (back in Philippians 3) reminded his listeners that they needed to be sure not to let the past hinder their progress toward what God had in store for them in the future.  It may be difficult where you are right now.  It may be great where you are right now.  Either way; if you get stalled there, you've missed the point.  God desires that you continue on in the race.  His ambition for you is to continue to develop in your relationship with him and your desire to serve him.  The writer to the Hebrews effectively said the same thing, right?  "Lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely."  Even a good history can impede our progress.  We have to lay it aside.  Thank God for the victories he has won in your life in the past.  Be grateful for the lessons learned through the hard times.  But by all means, press on.
     The students on our cross-country team are working diligently this fall.  Some can run the 5K in 18 minutes.  Some take 28.  The main point that our coaches stress to each of them is to do better this week than they did last week.  Make progress.  And when you get to the end of that course; run with all your strength until you burst across the finish line.
     I'd like to encourage you with that thought today.  I don't know where you are in your race as a believer. The fact of the matter is that you don't either.  You may be struggling to keep on going.  God will give you the strength today to do just that.  Take another step.  Don't watch the others who seem to be passing you by.  Don't worry about whether you have gone as far as you wanted.  Keep on making progress.  There's a whole "cloud of witnesses" watching the race and cheering you on as you move toward the goal of likeness to Jesus.  There's plenty of time to rest in eternity.  Now's the time to run.  Let's run together....and let's burst through the finish line.