Something to think about…

T r a i n i n g

I Corinthians 9:24-25

What is the value of the training you do every day in practice? How efficiently could your perform on game day if you didn’t train well? What are the rewards of such training? Today’s scripture addresses these issues for all of life.

In the first letter to the Corinthian church, Paul the Apostle writes at chapter 9 and verses 24 and 25, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Obviously you couldn’t perform well at all on game day if you didn’t discipline your mind, your body and your emotions. You’ve had to exercise self-control over these things throughout your athletic career with respect to diet, running, weight training, studying video tape and more. Expect it to pay off in today’s competition! Win the crown!

What’s more, exercise discipline in the most important areas of life and you’ll find yourself winning championships that don’t fade in importance, collect dust on the shelf or diminish in value.

* This is a devotion I received via e-mail from Roger Lipe from Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  It is an excerpt from “Heart of a Champion – A Year-long devotional for the people of sport.” It is available from www.crosstrainingpublishing.com or various on-line book sellers.