Running for Christ - The Crosswalk Devotional - March 14
Running for Christ
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading:
“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 someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
When I was a teen, I was really into running. It quickly became an obsession that was hard to break. Part of me thought my dad would be interested in my new hobby since he was a runner, but the other part of me was feeling anxious over how compulsive running was becoming. While I didn’t get help with this problem until years later, I can now reflect on it as a learning experience. I was so worried about running for health that I neglected all other aspects of my health in the process.
Our health is not only physical. We might be physically healthy, yet we could be struggling mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This was certainly true for me, and maybe you have discovered that it is true for you, too. Our spiritual health needs to be cultivated above all else because if we do not have a strong relationship with God, we will struggle physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Think about what is taking up the majority of your time. Is it a fitness goal? Or maybe it’s constant anxiety. No matter what it is, I want you to think about what your life would look like without this goal or this problem. Once you have thought of this new life, I want you to ask yourself if this is the life you want. Most of us will answer “yes” because normally, what takes up our time each day is what takes up our lives.
I once read that how you spend your days is how you spend your life, and this is true. If we spend our days focused on the things of the world, we will miss out on a beautiful relationship with God. Even if we are already believers, we still need to cultivate a relationship with Him. Salvation is not the end goal. It is just the beginning of a wonderful relationship with the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
In our passage today, we are focusing on 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Paul questions us by asking, “Don't all runners run in a way to get the prize?” Therefore, we are also supposed to run the race for Christ. In the same way, everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training in order to get a crown. The games Paul is referring to here were the Roman Colosseum games, better known as the Olympics. Similar to how these Olympians went into training to get a crown that does not last, we, too, should train ourselves to be godly and receive the crown that does last.
Paul tells us, “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” As followers of the Lord, we need to do the same. We are not without a target for our spiritual discipline goals. Rather, we are called to follow Jesus and to obey Him faithfully. Our lives are meant to be lived for Jesus, not for our sinful desires.
The prize Paul speaks of in this passage is the rewards we will receive in Heaven. Once everyone has received their rewards, we will all place them at the foot of the cross because only Jesus is worthy. The good things we did on this earth were not by our own efforts. Rather, they were only because of the Lord working through us.
How can you go into spiritual training to prepare yourself? Are you running the race carved out for you by Christ? All of us will receive rewards in Heaven, and we will all place these rewards at the foot of the cross. How does this make you feel?
“Dear Lord, I praise You for all of Your goodness. Please help me to cultivate spiritual discipline and self-control in my life. Help me to follow You faithfully and to live a godly life. I can't wait for the day I get to place my rewards at the foot of the cross. All glory and praise belong to You. Amen.”
Further Reading:
2 Corinthians 5:9-11
Matthew 5:12
Hebrews 12:1-3
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/FOTOKITA
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