1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets
the prize? So run to win! All athletes
are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade
away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete,
training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to
others I myself might be disqualified.
I saw a clip from a race in Brazil yesterday where the
leader in the race slowed down to celebrate right before reaching the finish
line. The person in second place saw an advantage and put on a burst of
speed. The leader suddenly saw what was
happening, panicked and pushed the contender back and lunged for the
ribbon. He almost lost the race because
he didn’t run to the very end. We’ve
been talking about our faith journey being like a long distance race. Too often people quite before the finish line
thinking they’ve arrived. Accepting
Christ as one’s Savior is just the beginning.
We never, ever stop running and growing in faith. To stop and try to coast into heaven will
diminish the prize we’ll win here and in our heavenly life. In the words of Isaac Watts and John Wesley, “I’ll
praise my Maker while I’ve breath; and
when my voice is lost in death, praise
shall possess my nobler powers; my days
of praise are never past while life and
thought and being last or immortality endures.”
Heavenly Father, please help us to continue with the race
until we have crossed the finish line. Help us not to slack off before we have
claimed the prize of our heavenly reward.
Blessings,Paige
No comments:
Post a Comment