I have been so totally challenged lately concerning my walk with Christ. I feel Him pulling me closer and deeper in my relationship with Him and expecting more of me. (He may have been doing this all along, but I am just now listening.) God began tugging on my heart a while ago and everywhere I go, it seems that I am reminded of my walk and what I can do to be a more devoted follower of my Lord and Savior.
I have been watching Michael Phelps and his swimming. He has spent so much time training. He has been so dedicated and driven to accomplish his goal. As he has gotten farther and farther, his goals became bigger and bigger. What if I do this? What if I go into serious training as a disciple? What if I spend hours and hours every day reading God's word, spending time talking to Him, and listening to what He has for me? What would my walk look like then? I am running a race, so why am I not training harder?
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. they do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
12 comments:
Thank you. I needed to read this.
What a good reminder. The distance of our race varies for each person, because God knows where the finish line is. God is the ultimate coach, isn't he!
What a great passage of scripture! I should read that everyday.
PS-We have loved watching Michael Phelps too!
Miss you!
Oh Heather, this is rich! Really, this touched me. Thank you!
I have to admit that these particular verses are especially difficult for me. I am just not a runner, never have been, so just the thought of running a long distance race makes me tired. I suppose this is why God has given us so many and varied verses on perseverance. I just need to work on persevering in my race toward Jesus. I don't need to run a literal marathon. I'm so glad He usually calls it a "walk". That I can do!
By the way, I do love your new profile picture It makes me miss you all the more, but it also makes me smile. And, hey, you have a question on your profile, "If mud is dirt plus water, what is clay?" That is my question too. Did you happen to see my answer?
Martha, I think I did see yours, although I didn't think about it when I answered it until later seeing your question again. I think it was just in the back of my mind and since it was such a good answer, it popped into the front of my mind;)
Awww, I thought maybe our great minds were thinking alike.
I think about this too. I heard a sermon last week about hanging out in "the visitor center" out of fear instead of "climbing the mountain" with Him by my side. By doing this I miss out on the blessings that God has for me as I go through the hardships and danger zones during the mountain climb...tough to explain in a blog comment, but I have been thinking on similar things.
I finally get to see what you look like. Did you always have that picture of you in the "about me?"
Very good reminder... I should really be training too!
I replied to your comment on my blog :)
A dear lady in our congregation died, after months of being basically bedfast. At her funeral last week, her daughter referred to this scripture and spoke so eloquently about her mother's "race"--what a witness during a hard time!
Awesome post! Thank you!
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