The 2010 Winter Olympics are over. Over the course of 17 days of this year’s competition, Team USA earned 37 medals — the most ever by one country in one Games, besting Germany’s mark of 36 set at Salt Lake. The feat was even more impressive considering it was the first time the U.S. earned the most medals in a Winter Olympics since 1932 at Lake Placid. Germany won 30 medals and Canada, the host country, won 26 total medals.
Medals Made of Recycled Material
And here’s a piece of trivia for you. This year’s 549 medals contained metal from recycled TVs, computers, and keyboards that might have otherwise ended up as e-waste. (More on this here.) I suspect that over a period of enough time, these medals will likely become tarnished.
Physical Conditioning and Discipline
To be good enough to win an Olympic medal, whether it be bronze, silver or gold, takes a tremendous amount of talent, skill and, for most of the events, a high degree of physical conditioning. Preparing for an Olympic competition requires discipline and perseverance. In the end the award that athletes receive is a medal, along with the distinction of being recognized as the world’s best athlete in their respective sport.
“All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:25
Running the Race of Life
Our life as a Christian is like an Olympic athlete training to win a medal. Whereas the prize for the athlete is a medal, our prizes are at least two-fold.
One prize is the abundant life that we are able to live because we are walking day to day with Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. The more disciplined we are at incorporating spiritual exercises into our lives on a daily basis, the more rewarding and fulfilling our life can be. The more we live according to the guidebook that God gives us, the Bible, the sweeter our life can be. God has this “prize” for us on this side of heaven.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that theymay have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
Paul encourages the Corinthians to run the race of life with endurance and that the crown we will receive will last forever. He encourages us to press on, to persevere, to endure. As athletes require discipline in physical training and in what they eat to be competitive enough to win an Olympic medal, we must be disciplined in various forms of spiritual exercises to win the crown of a full and abundant life. ( Corinthians 9:24-25 )
The more disciplined and consistent we are in our spiritual exercises, the more abundance we will tend to receive this side of heaven. This is one reason Jesus died on the cross for you and for me.
The other “prize” that God makes available for us is the crown of eternal life that we’ll spend with Jesus after we leave this earth. It becomes available to us when we accept Jesus in our heart as our Savior. Isaiah 35:10 tells us that everlasting joy will crown the heads of those who walk with Jesus in a personal way. Unlike the tarnish that will probably occur with the metal of the Olympic medals, our crown of everlasting life and our joy will continue forever.
I encourage you to be disciplined in applying the principles of the Bible in such a way that you’re experiencing a full and rewarding life – the kind God desires for you. And I pray that you are confident that you’ll live eternally in the presence of God because of a choice you’ve made to invite Jesus into your heart.
A Few Questions to Consider
What disciplines in your life contribute most to your level of spiritual fitness?
Are you experiencing an abundant life in the way Jesus has made it available for you?
What spiritual exercises could you incorporate into your life to give you a more full life?
Perhaps I’ll begin to occasionally send along an inspirational song…… as a reminder of God’s love and to encourage you to stay close to him.
If you have any suggestions or favorites, I’d love to hear from you so that I can share them with others.
Have a terrific day!
“I pray that you … may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Paul in Ephesians 3:17-19
I really like watching the Olympics, whether it be the Summer Games or the Winter Games as are going on now. Watching this year’s events is extra special because I had the good fortune of visiting Whistler, British Columbia a few years ago to speak at a conference. It’s truly as beautiful as the television cameras make it seem. It is, as many people say, God’s country.
When I watch these events, I try to see the parallel between the athletes and their respective competitions and of my own life and personal challenges. The other day, I was made aware of such a comparison. The event was the Women’s Sprint Cross Country race. One of the competitors had taken a really bad spill earlier in the morning during a practice session. Petra Majdič of Slovenia actually went off course and landed on some rocks in a ravine 10 feet below. After some medical attention, she got back on her skies and continued skiing. A few hours later she had to compete in a total of four races – three qualifying races and the final. In the final, she finished 3rd and captured a bronze medal. At the end of the race, I watched her collapse to the snow in pain. Another trip to the hospital and a few xrays later showed that her ribs were broken. See a video of her efforts.
Imagine skiing four races with four broken ribs. That takes a lot of determination and mental toughness. Fortunately, her years of training and ability to withstand heartache and physical pain paid off as she was rewarded with a medal.
Sometimes our faith journey is difficult. It’s often accompanied with heartache, the unknown, dry seasons and trying times. God allows all your life circumstances to happen. He orchestrates many of the tough times so that your faith may grow. Sometimes he allows you to “fall into a ravine onto a rock” and gives you an opportunity to make a choice to turn to him to get you through the “races” of your life that follow.
When really difficult times and seemingly unbearable stressful situations occur in your life, how do you cope? What gets you through?
Perhaps you are going through a really difficult time in your life. It may be a health issue, a relationship issue or an employment or financial challenge. Whatever your life challenge, I encourage you to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the perfecter of your faith. Remember what he endured on the cross so that, like him, you can withstand your trial – so that you will not lose heart and grow weary. Hebrews 12:2-3
Writing a short note here today only seems appropriate. I hope that each of you who might read this will take a few seconds and reflect quietly on why December 25th can be such a special day.
If you have a personal relationship with God, through His son Jesus, then you have a peace deep in your heart. It’s the kind of peace that warms you and gives you a sense of well-being like nothing else can.
I’m so thankful that God used Mary and Joseph to bring our Lord into the world over 2000 years ago. And I am also very thankful that God put it on my heart to reach out to Him many years ago so that I can live a life that includes knowing Him in a personal way.
It’s this solid relationship with Jesus that gives me assurance that I will be in heaven one day. This relationship is also what allows me to connect with Him in my heart day-to-day so that I can be even more about the kind of man I want to be… with His help.
I pray that you have felt God’s love and truth through some of the blog posts you may have read this year….. and I pray that, if it’s his will, that I’ll continue to stay close enough to him to be able to share more insights he gives me during 2010. To Christ be the glory!
Today I went for a short run before the summer heat and humidity rose too much. The forecast high in Charlotte is 93. On many of my runs I get ideas for my posts on my blog and that was the case today.
The thought popped into my mind that I have been running over 40 years. It’s actually been 42 years as I started in the 10th grade in Atlanta, Georgia. Through high school, prep school, college and then for a time afterwords, I enjoyed success as a long distance runner… the longer the distance the more competitive I was. My last major run in a competition was the Louisville Marathon in 1985. Since that time, I’ve run primarily to stay healthy, fit and manage my stress. I also enjoy it.
As my thoughts during my run continued, I wondered how many miles I might have run over the years. I suspected that I could come up with a pretty good estimate because I kept good records when I was competing in school and afterwords for a while. When I finished my run, showered and ate, I went upstairs to pull my running logs off the shelf of my bookcase. I used 3-ring spiral notebooks, typically using one page to log my running efforts during each week.
High School Running Log
Looking over the notebooks revealed some neat facts and memories. On Sunday, September 1, 1968, I ran my 1000th mile. During three years of high school, I logged 1,914 miles. The most covered in one day was 18 and the most in a week was 60. At West Point, I ran during cross country, indoor and outdoor track. At the peak of my competitiveness, I was averaging close to 8 miles/day and on Thursday, December 13th, 1973, I passed the 10,000 mile mark!
Over the last 25 years or so, my runs have been about 2-3 miles and I’ve gotten out two or three times a week. By my calculations, I have covered approximately 39,000 miles over these last 42 years. Wow! I had no idea. I am amazed that my joints, especially my knees, have held out. It’s a good thing that I have not continued with the competitive running. I can’t imagine that my knees would still be hanging in there if that was the case.
I have had a major shift in my overall motivation for working out and staying in shape in the last handful of years. It’s so that I can stay healthy which helps me better do the work that God calls me to do. I know that I am more alert, have more energy and can stay better focused when I work out on a regular basis. Keeping fit also contributes to reducing my chances of the many lifestyle-related diseases that could set in and hamper my efforts to do things for God.
Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10 that “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Certainly, it is a miracle in itself that God designed the human body so that it could run 39,000 miles and more over a lifetime. He has put our bodies together in unimaginable ways. My Heart has beaten at least 1.8 trillion times over the last 58 years. Imagine that! Another miracle.
In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 we are reminded by Paul “Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.”(New Living Translation – First Edition)
Personalized License Plate
Clearly there is much benefit to being physically fit, but it is even more important to be spiritually fit. Spiritual exercises like reading the Bible, praying, surrendering to God, serving others and forgiving others are all important aspects of one’s spiritual fitness program.
The writer of Hebrews encourages us to run the race that God has set before us and we are to do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. (See Hebrews 12:1-2) In the middle of the 12th chapter, we are encouraged to mark out a straight path for our feet so those who follow us will not stumble and fail but will become strong.
I’m thankful to God that I’m still able to enjoy my short runs and that while I am on them, He gives me the inspiration and creativity from which I can share spiritual truths with my readers. I’m also thankful that He has given me the ‘work’ to encourage others of the faith to “remain on a straight path.” I pray that He is also using me to share the Gospel with those who do not know Him.
In the ‘race’ of your life, don’t give up. Stay the course. If you are a believer, others are watching you and many need to experience the love of Jesus that flows through you. Go deeper in your faith. If you don’t know God in a personal way and are looking for spiritual strength to help you cope with the stressors of life, consider accepting Jesus into your heart and receive His strength, peace and joy.
Questions to Ask Yourself
What ‘work’ has God called you to do? Is your health an obstacle for doing this ‘work?’
How spiritually fit are you? Are you engaged in meaning spiritual exercises throughout each week?
Do you have real peace, joy and hope because you experience Jesus’ love?
Related Material I’ve Written on Spiritual Fitness and The Connection
“For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.” Galatians 5:6-8
One daily devotional I use is In Touch Magazine, written by Charles Stanley. The verse for today’s devotional is Matthew 11:28-30, a verse I almost refer to when I speak on the topic of faith, stress and health. Because Stanley does such a wonderful job of addressing these verses, I thought I’d share today’s devotion with you. The following is today’s devotional.
Jesus - "Take my yoke upon you" Matthew 11:29
Jesus invites all burdened individuals to come to Him for rest, yet so often we misunderstand what He is offering. When stresses and problems weigh us down, the most natural response is to ask God for relief: “Lord, I can’t carry this anymore. I’m going to leave it here with you.” Having dumped the burden like a bag of garbage, we walk away but remained unchanged inside.
God doesn’t operate that way. Christ’s invitation is to join Him in the yoke so you can walk and work together. He doesn’t want just your burden; He wants you! The yoke of Christ is a symbol of discipleship, characterized by submission and obedience to Him. God’s goal isn’t simply to give relief by removing a weighty trial or affliction; He longs to draw you to Himself in a close and trusting relationship. Those who take Him up on His offer will be transformed and won’t ever return to their old ways. Read more of this article »
Over the last week I have enjoyed watching the Tour de France and Lance Armstrong’s return to the sport after a three year break. The competition has been terrific. One reason I enjoy watching the Tour is because of the beautiful mountainous locations of some of the daily rides or stages. This is a map of the route.
Today and the next few days, the riders will be traversing over the Swiss Alps, a gorgeous part of Europe. I was stationed in southern Germany for one of my Army assignments and we lived about 45 minutes north of Innsbruck in the foothills of the Austrian Alps. My last day of skiing in Europe was on a Swiss mountainside so I can appreciate that the scenery in that area of the world is breathtaking. It’s easily the prettiest place I have ever been. Read more of this article »
On this Independence Day weekend, today’s church service was a little different. No teaching or sermon, but lots of patriotic songs about our country and the Christian faith. If there was a theme to the service and songs, I’d say it was freedom. In that light, I’m going to share some random thoughts I have about freedom. Here we go:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5:1
Once I was a captive to my sin. I am now free in Christ Jesus.
God is the Deliverer from our sin and the bondage it brings us.
The cross is to Christians as the Statute of Liberty is to Americans.
Our freedom from sin was accomplished by Jesus on the cross over 200 years ago. The choice is ours whether to receive this freedom associated with His death and resurrection. We are free to choose life or death. (Deuteronomy 30:15-19)
There is a new report out by the Robert Woods Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health organization titled F as in Fat 2009 – How Obesity Policies in America are Failing. (Link provided is to the 108 page report.) A shorter Executive Summary is available here.
An MSNBC article provides insight into the report which indicates the the obesity epidemic in America is still worsening. In 31 states, more than one in four adults are obese according to the report. Obesity rates among adults rose in 23 states over the past year, and no state experienced a significant decline. It’s a national crisis that “calls for a national strategy to combat obesity,” suggests Robert Wood Johnson vice president Dr. James Marks. Read more of this article »
I was hungry for lunch and immediately thought of having a grilled-cheese sandwich with a slice of tomato. Not a store-bought tasteless tomato but a juicy, sweet, home-grown one.
Without hesitation, I walked outside to where I’m growing two tomato plants. One is a grape-shaped cherry tomato and the other is a larger Big Boy brand. They’ve been ripe for a little over two weeks now and I’ve already enjoyed a few dozen cherry tomatoes.
Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and A and the anti-oxidant lycopene. They are my favorite fruit during the summer. Yes, botanically, a tomato is the ovary, together with its seeds, of a flowering plant – therefore it is a fruit.
As I was rinsing off the tomato I picked and preparing to cut it, the thought came to me quickly that as a tomato is a very healthy fruit to eat, as a person stays closely connected to Jesus, he/she will exhibit much fruit in their life. (See John 15:5) Paul explains this to us in Galatians 5:22-23 – the fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Then the thought came into my mind that Jesus is the path to perfect fruit. The more we stay connected to Him and partake of Him, the more fruitful our life will be… and it probably will be healthier. When our lives are rooted in Jesus, then we will bear these kinds of fruit. That’s what the Bible says. And any physician will tell you that a life that exhibits the fruits of the spirit mentioned in Galatians is likely to be healthier than a life absent of such fruits.
Points to Ponder
So, on this second day of Summer, are you incorporating healthy fruits and vegetables into your daily diet? You can get some pretty healthy fruits and veggies at your local market.
More importantly, how are you nourishing your spirit so that your life will exhibit the kind of fruit that Paul mentions in Galatians? Are you remaining close to Jesus? Do you know Him in a personal way?
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The 2010 Winter Olympics are over. Over the course of 17 days of this year’s competition, Team USA earned 37 medals — the most ever by one country in one Games, besting Germany’s mark of 36 set at Salt Lake. The feat was even more impressive considering it was the first time the U.S. earned the most medals in a Winter Olympics since 1932 at Lake Placid. Germany won 30 medals and Canada, the host country, won 26 total medals.
To be good enough to win an Olympic medal, whether it be bronze, silver or gold, takes a tremendous amount of talent, skill and, for most of the events, a high degree of physical conditioning. Preparing for an Olympic competition requires discipline and perseverance. In the end the award that athletes receive is a medal, along with the distinction of being recognized as the world’s best athlete in their respective sport.
Sometimes our faith journey is difficult. It’s often accompanied with heartache, the unknown, dry seasons and trying times. God allows all your life circumstances to happen. He orchestrates many of the tough times so that your faith may grow. Sometimes he allows you to “fall into a ravine onto a rock” and gives you an opportunity to make a choice to turn to him to get you through the “races” of your life that follow.
Over the last week I have enjoyed watching the 
On this Independence Day weekend, today’s church service was a little different. No teaching or sermon, but lots of patriotic songs about our country and the Christian faith. If there was a theme to the service and songs, I’d say it was freedom. In that light, I’m going to share some random thoughts I have about freedom. Here we go:
There is a new report out by the Robert Woods Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health organization titled 
I was hungry for lunch and immediately thought of having a grilled-cheese sandwich with a slice of tomato. Not a store-bought tasteless tomato but a juicy, sweet, home-grown one.
