1 Cor 9:24-10:1
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
I have a word for you today. Get Ready, Set... That's the word.
I remember as a child in elementary school that I ran all the time every where I went. I hardly walked, I always ran. I ran down the hall to my bedroom, or I ran to the kitchen, and when I would go to my girlfriend's house, Gail, I would run as fast as my feet would take me to the end of our street where she lived. And when my mother would call me home just when it got dark, I would leave Gail's house and run like the wind all the way home in the dark with my Florida-girl's barefoot pitter-pattering all the way; my mother could hear me coming. I would run in all the field day competitions at my elementary school. I would always win a blue ribbon in the 50 and 100 yard dash!
Those were the days, because as soon as I hit puberty I never ran again, until I hit 40 and I realized I needed to get running. My metabolism wouldn't allow me to eat my cookies and stay the same size. It took me almost 8 months to build up strength and endurance to run on a treadmill more than 15 minutes straight! I had to work really hard to get myself to do what I used to do as a child.
As adults we let ourselves go, get complacent and slip up so that we become "out of shape" spiritually and emotionally so easily. It's interesting that Jesus said in Mark 10:15-16, " Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
Now, when I ran those 50 yard dashes in school, I didn't worry about my hair, or how I looked, or what people thought or if I was tired, and I definitely wasn't concerned about could I make it to the finish line. I just heard the gun go off and I ran with such spontaneity and enthusiasm, just pushing to the finish line! A sweet abandon was under my legs that caused me to feel weightless and unstoppable. And that is how we have to be if we are going to win the prize!
God has a blue ribbon waiting. It may be in the form of a breakthrough, miracle, blessing or your destiny, but what is certain is to obtain it you have to be like a child running with that same sense of freedom and determination!
You may not feel like that right now. Just like I didn't think I would ever run again. But you can do what it takes to get yourself fit again and run! No one is too far gone, or too out of shape. Every muscle in your body has a memory. Even paralyzed people can regain muscle mass w
ith therapy. So it's not impossible for you to regain your strength and run. You may feel weak in your prayer life, but if you just pray, it will be strengthened. You may feel incompetent in your knowledge of the Word, but if you will just get into the Word, you will become wise. You may feel weak in your faith, but if you will just start to believe for something better, your faith will be increased! You may fear for the future, have doubts, have questions, you've been out of the game for a long time, but by all means, don't sit it out! Get up! Get back up, and if you have to kick off your shoes to remember what it felt like to run with that sweet abandon, do it. But do it! Get up, get ready, set....
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
I have a word for you today. Get Ready, Set... That's the word.
I remember as a child in elementary school that I ran all the time every where I went. I hardly walked, I always ran. I ran down the hall to my bedroom, or I ran to the kitchen, and when I would go to my girlfriend's house, Gail, I would run as fast as my feet would take me to the end of our street where she lived. And when my mother would call me home just when it got dark, I would leave Gail's house and run like the wind all the way home in the dark with my Florida-girl's barefoot pitter-pattering all the way; my mother could hear me coming. I would run in all the field day competitions at my elementary school. I would always win a blue ribbon in the 50 and 100 yard dash!
Those were the days, because as soon as I hit puberty I never ran again, until I hit 40 and I realized I needed to get running. My metabolism wouldn't allow me to eat my cookies and stay the same size. It took me almost 8 months to build up strength and endurance to run on a treadmill more than 15 minutes straight! I had to work really hard to get myself to do what I used to do as a child.
As adults we let ourselves go, get complacent and slip up so that we become "out of shape" spiritually and emotionally so easily. It's interesting that Jesus said in Mark 10:15-16, " Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
Now, when I ran those 50 yard dashes in school, I didn't worry about my hair, or how I looked, or what people thought or if I was tired, and I definitely wasn't concerned about could I make it to the finish line. I just heard the gun go off and I ran with such spontaneity and enthusiasm, just pushing to the finish line! A sweet abandon was under my legs that caused me to feel weightless and unstoppable. And that is how we have to be if we are going to win the prize!
God has a blue ribbon waiting. It may be in the form of a breakthrough, miracle, blessing or your destiny, but what is certain is to obtain it you have to be like a child running with that same sense of freedom and determination!
You may not feel like that right now. Just like I didn't think I would ever run again. But you can do what it takes to get yourself fit again and run! No one is too far gone, or too out of shape. Every muscle in your body has a memory. Even paralyzed people can regain muscle mass w
ith therapy. So it's not impossible for you to regain your strength and run. You may feel weak in your prayer life, but if you just pray, it will be strengthened. You may feel incompetent in your knowledge of the Word, but if you will just get into the Word, you will become wise. You may feel weak in your faith, but if you will just start to believe for something better, your faith will be increased! You may fear for the future, have doubts, have questions, you've been out of the game for a long time, but by all means, don't sit it out! Get up! Get back up, and if you have to kick off your shoes to remember what it felt like to run with that sweet abandon, do it. But do it! Get up, get ready, set....
