Run To Win

 

 

Scripture:  Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.  I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got.  I Corinthians 9:24-27 The Message

 

This came from our daily reading in Joshua 20 and 1 Corinthians 9

 

Observation / Application:  I’ve shared with you before that I have been striving for a healthier lifestyle.  I’ve been exercising and God has given me a desire to eat cleaner foods and has reduced my cravings.  I still crave sweets from time to time, but it’s getting fewer and far between.  Paul here in our passage uses the analogy of a person who is in a race who is running to win, but then in the middle of his analogy he makes a point – it’s not about running an earthly race, it’s about our spiritual walk!

 

We can put everything we have into this life.  We can train hard and be marathon runners and win gold medals and trophies and set and reach physical goals for ourselves, but NONE of that matters if we do not reach the finish line that God has laid out for us – eternity.  Paul says at the end of the chapter that his ultimate goal in this life is to win people to Christ and he, Paul, would do and become whatever necessary to win these people to a “God-saved life” as The Message puts it.  “I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!”  Paul says.

 

Whatever goals you are working toward right now let’s make sure that we are doing them for the right reasons.  One of my goals is to be healthier, but not for the sake of wearing smaller jeans or to “look better”, but so that I can have good energy to do God’s work and to show that God can transform every area of our life if we let Him.  He cares about every part of our lives!!!  If He can change my cravings for chocolate (which my husband would tell you are very strong – “in my blood”) then He can change and transform any area of life you want Him to change!  ;)  This is part of my story – what’s yours?

 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I praise you that we are fearfully and wonderfully made according to Your Word.  I thank you that you love us and are concerned about the things that concern us.  Father, Paul tells us in this passage that we are to run to win, not for things necessarily in this life, but for eternal things that matter.  I pray that You use my life to win others to You – whatever part of my story You need to use I pray it would help someone else to know you better.  Through Christ, the One Who transforms our lives, I pray, Amen & Amen.