meditations for an everyday relationship with Jesus

Do I have to run?

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.

Running the race is a metaphor, or symbolic language, that helps the Apostle Paul better illustrate what he is trying to teach the followers of Jesus. All of those listening would have understood the concept of racing just like we understand a touchdown or a basket.

We are told that if we want to get to the finish line first and receive the best prize, then we need to run hard and run straight!

Only a handful of those who begin any race will finish in the top positions. Practice hard every day and prepare to run a long race. Your efforts will pay off if you persevere.

How can we possibly enjoy difficult times?

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

We cannot do this alone, and God does not expect us to. He has given us a helper we refer to as the Holy Spirit. The term for this third person of the Trinity, in the Greek, is paraclete; this word means “one brought alongside.”

It is doubtful that Paul would have expected any of us to be thrilled with the prospect of hard times. What he does ask, however, is that we look at these times as formative, … experiences that will make us stronger and wiser for what is to come.