Running to Win
In several passages Paul compares the Christian life to a race. I think it is a good analogy. We are to discipline ourselves to run well, as athletes do. It takes endurance to run the race, because it is a marathon, not a sprint. However, there is one more element that is very important, too. We need to decide that we want to run the best we can, so we can win the race and obtain the prize God has for us. (I Corinthians 9:24) I pray that is your mindset in living the Christian life.
God is watching all we do. However, even more importantly, He knows the attitudes and the motivations of our hearts. He knows that if our attitude is not right, our actions will fall short of His goals for us. He wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. That is a lofty goal. However, it is obtainable in His power and with His guidance. If we make that our goal, and we humbly submit to Him to show us how to discipline ourselves to reach it, we can and will do it. However, if we live life half-way trying to be like Jesus and half-way following the flesh, we will never make it. We won't hear those words that are better than any earthly prize, "Well done, good and faithful servant." I pray that we will all run in such a way as to hear our Master say those words to us. We will truly win, if that is the end result of our lives.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Corinthians 10-12.
God is watching all we do. However, even more importantly, He knows the attitudes and the motivations of our hearts. He knows that if our attitude is not right, our actions will fall short of His goals for us. He wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. That is a lofty goal. However, it is obtainable in His power and with His guidance. If we make that our goal, and we humbly submit to Him to show us how to discipline ourselves to reach it, we can and will do it. However, if we live life half-way trying to be like Jesus and half-way following the flesh, we will never make it. We won't hear those words that are better than any earthly prize, "Well done, good and faithful servant." I pray that we will all run in such a way as to hear our Master say those words to us. We will truly win, if that is the end result of our lives.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Corinthians 10-12.