Primed and ready Jonathan thought as he stretched and flexed his legs. Today is the big day that I’ve trained for, for months.
“Where’s your number tags?” asked the petite old lady warming up next to him.
“Right here,” Jonathan responded as he dug out his numbered tags from the bottom of his back pack.
“I’m number 317,” he said smiling.
“Sounds like a lucky number,” she grunted. “Maybe you should play it some time.”
“Nah, I don’t gamble it’s a waste of time and money,” Jonathan said as he pushed his arm through the vest.
“Huh, I guess. Maybe it’ll help you to win the race,” she replied as she bent to tie her sneakers.
“This is my first race, I’d love to win. But, I’m more interested in just finishing the race.”
Peering out over the sea of runners, Jonathan thought the competition looks stiff. They look physically fit in comparison to me, a bald,
potbellied middle aged man. No way, do I stand a chance. I should pack up now and go home he reasoned.
Shrugging off the weights of doubt and self criticism, Jonathan repeated to himself, “You’ve trained for this! Flexing your knees in
prayer; lifting your arms in praise; bending your back in worship. You are prepared!”
Clandestinely, he looked around to see if anyone noticed that he was talking to himself. He continued, “You can do it! This is the path
to righteousness. Remember the purpose, isn’t to win the prize that fades. It’s about completing the course that Christ has laid for
you.” Breathing a sigh of relief, Jonathan took up his bottle of water and took a long swig.
That’s right, everything I’ve lived for and believed in is dependent on me finishing this race. At the finish line Christ will be waiting
for me. Arms open wide to welcome me home into the rest of the Lord, Jonathan thought.
“No, devil I will not give up! Bring it on! I will, finish the race!” Jonathan said under muffled breath.
Each Christian is registered into the race of eternal life when they are born again. Some complete the race, while other drop-out, or
suffer from atrophy. What makes the difference? Training and exercise!
In our health crazed society today everyone is promoting the best work-out programs or exercise regiments. But none can compare to the
one that was laid out by God in His word.
The first component of the exercise program is having the right attitude toward God. Is He a lucky charm or guiding light? The Bible in
Matthew 6:33 states that we should seek God first demonstrating an attitude of humbleness. A proper attitude will determine whether we
win, loose, or give up. In Philippians 2:5 (New Living Translation, NLT) Paul states:
“Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made
himself nothing: he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.”
The second component is our focus. Are we looking to the world, ourselves or to God for moral direction and counsel? Keeping our mind
fixed God will ensure peace as described in Isaiah 26:3. Doing this will ensure that double mindedness doesn’t befall us.
Each human being is born with a purpose which was given by God. It’s the driving force to our fulfillment of the will of God. It’s our
compass that keeps us on course. This is the third component of the exercise program. Some Christians are fortunate to discern almost
instantaneously what their purpose is. While others have to unearth it as they continue to inquire of the Lord. Once your purpose is
discovered, it should be used as a gauge to determine if you are on target, in conjunction with the word of God and the Holy Spirit.
Daily our knees should bend in prayer; our arms should be lifted in praise; and our bodies should bend in worship. This will keep blood
flowing, muscles flexible and prevent atrophy from setting in. These three exercises are the seeds which we plant in the heavenly garden
which bare fruit as described in Galatians 5:22-23.
As if that were not enough, God also bestows spiritual gifts to each Christian to help the church and its’ members to wage war against
the devil, to encourage the discouraged, to advance the kingdom and complete the race.
The apostle Paul admonishes us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 to remember that all who run a race run to win the prize, and athletes practice
self-control and are disciplined in their training. In Hebrews 12:1-12, we are cautioned to keep our eyes on Jesus; to strip off every
weight that would hinder our progress; take a grip of our weary hands, stand on our wobbly feet, marking out a straight path, that others
may walk and be strengthened.
By practicing our daily regiment, we like Paul, will be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have
remained faithful.” [2 Timothy 4:7 (NLT)]
About The Author:
Michelle J. Dyett-Welcome is a freelance writer with a heart for the Lord. To learn more about her writing, visit her at:
http://www.freewebs.com/mjdyett-welcome/
* This article is available for your publication, for a F-E-E.
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