Rochelle Cross, MIT
1 Corinthians 9:19, 27

Get in the race and stay in the race! 

On June 7, 2010, my sister passed on to glory and obesity was a contributing factor. Prior to her death, I had begun dealing with the challenges of my own weight. To boost my weight loss efforts, my nephew a personal trainer, proposed a challenge. He suggested I begin training for and run in the 2010 Chicago Half Marathon. Initially, I thought to myself “I can’t run.” My sister and nephew were my motivation and the Lord was my strength. The concept of me running was not new. The Lord had dropped running in my spirit some time ago, but I neglected to run.

God had a purpose for instructing me to run. While training for the Chicago half marathon, I was learning how to discipline my body. I would leave out each morning with a distance goal and despite mental objections; I would run press toward the mark and meet the goal. My spiritual attunement was increasing; I was hearing the Lord more clearly. I was relying on him for the strength to finish the race. I ran in the 2010 Chicago Half Marathon, finishing the race in 3hours and 6 minutes. While running I became more in tune with God and his purpose for my life.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks about disciplining the flesh. “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” (1 Cor 9:27) Paul is calling on the believers to discipline their bodies, less they become a slave to the desires of the flesh. When we over indulge in food, alcohol, gambling, shopping etc, they become our gods and we get distracted from our true worship, Jesus Christ. We are entering into voluntary bondage with fleeting pleasures that are superficial and temporary. With a disciplined body and a Spirit led life, we are better equipped to draw others to the body of Christ.

My nephew and sister were my tangible motivations for continuing my journey out of bondage. “Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.” (1Corinthians 9:19) Let us be like Paul and become a slave to all, disciplined in our mind and body. Let us begin to be someone’s tangible motivation out of bondage. Let us be the motivation that they can see, feel and hear.

Prayer 

Lord, speak to me while I run my race, because I do not want to run this race in vain

Thought for the day 

The race is not given to the swift nor the strong, but the one that endures!