1 Corinthians 9:25

“Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” 1 Corinthians 9:25

Imagine an athlete training for a big race in which he will be. He no doubt has to be sure to have a balanced diet, and needs to refrain from junk food. He needs to be sure to drink plenty of water so that he will stay hydrated and not pass out in the middle of the race. He also will need to go on many hard, grueling, and tiresome practice runs to get his body into shape. All of this will require a great deal of discipline. No doubt there will be times when the athlete is tempted to eat that piece of pie, or have coffee instead of water, or sleep in instead of going on a run, but if he is really disciplined and dedicated to winning the race he will keep on pressing on and continue doing what needs to be done for his training. He will probably put the prize for which he is competing at the forefront of his mind, and so the thought of winning that prize can overpower the temptations.

This can be applied to the spiritual life as well. As I seek to run this race that is set before me, and run it well, I need to be careful of what I feed my spirit. My spirit needs nourishment just as much, if not more, as my physical body needs nourishment.  Where do I find this nourishment for my spirit? The Word of God. The Word of God is what gives my spirit the food which it so desperately needs. Often, my spirit craves “junk” food – the things of this world, but I need to be disciplined and say no to the temptations of the world and my flesh and run to God’s Word for nourishment. If I want to run this race well, I need to be feeding upon God’s Word. I don’t want to be feeding myself on my fears and anxieties, but instead I want to feed upon His truth. I need to keep my spirit hydrated, in shape, and nourished by the power of His Word. Just as the athlete keeps in mind the thought of winning a prize to help him keep pressing on, so too I need to keep in mind my Prize. My Prize is Jesus.

If the athlete is willing to be disciplined and put in so much effort for a prize that will fade, how much more should I be disciplined for the Prize that will never fade away? Jesus, please give me the grace to run this race with endurance. Please help me to be disciplined and to daily feed on the truth of Your Word, not the lies of this world. Jesus, running this race is hard, but You are so worth it, and You are my everlasting Prize.

Application: Today I will feed on the truth of God’s Word by memorizing at least 2 of the past weeks’ memory verses.