Living the focused life
1 Corinthians 9:24 “…Run in such a way as to get the prize” NIV Bible
Extra Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
The Isthmian games, second only to the Olympic Games, were held every two years in Corinth. Every Corinthian knew the preparations the participants made for this great event. Every one of them knew that it was not enough to have natural talent, crucial though that was; the talent needed the help of a strict system of training (v.25). Even so, training consisted of more than mere exercise; then, as now, diets were determined and strictly followed. The competitors knew that if they wanted the prize they had to invest everything in their effort. Winning a race requires purpose and discipline. Paul uses this illustration to explain that the Christian life takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. As Christians, we are running toward our heavenly reward. The essential disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and worship equip us to run with vigour and stamina. Please don’t merely observe from the grandstand; don’t just turn out to log a couple of laps each morning. Train diligently-your spiritual progress depends upon it.
What amazed Paul-that great spiritual athlete- was the fact that after all the training, dieting and encouragement, only one person received the prize-ivy leaves. My observation here is that athletes do all that for a ‘crown that will not last’ while believers strive for a crown that will last forever (v.25). Paul’s argument seems to suggest that he was rebuking Christians for doing so little for so much, whereas athletes do so much for so little. At times we must even give up something good in order to do what God wants. Each person’s special duties determine the discipline and denial that he or she must accept. Without a goal, discipline is nothing but self-punishment. With the goal of pleasing God, our denial seems like nothing compared to the eternal, imperishable reward that will be ours. Following Christ is not the world’s easiest option: the Master envisaged his followers bearing a cross (Mark 8:34-38). Not that he expected this to be a miserable exercise! Did he not bequeath to us his peace and joy in order that we might cope with everything (John 14:27; 17:13)? He has made available to us the resources we need to succeed in serving Him here on earth. When Paul says he might be disqualified, he does not mean that he could lose his salvation, but rather that he could lose his privilege of telling others about Christ. It is easy to tell others how to live and then not to take our own advice. We must be careful to practice what we preach.
Prayer: Father God, help us to run the straight race through God’s grace. Let Christ be our path, let Him be our prize, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
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