Daily Devotional

Waking up this morning, I open my eyes to the reality that the race will continue today!  Another full day of my to-do list, work, house duties, people who need me.  Before my feet touch the floor, I think, “am I running the right race, Lord?”; “Am I running in the right direction, Lord?” I know why I am running this race...Lord, you want my life to glorify you and draw others to know you.  But what does laundry, dishes, errands have to do with it? I sense the lesson before I finish my last sentence: The answer is God has chosen the race for me.  Will I be faithful today in everything? Will I follow God’s plan?

Sitting down in my favorite chair I am compelled to meditate further on this race I am running.

1. How did God prepare me for this race? Life experiences, education, and a lot of hard work.I Corinthians 9:24 “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. Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not disqualified for the prize.”

2. Do I run this race carrying burdens? It would be funny seeing an athlete running a race carrying a backpack! Seriously, is there any sin in my heart that will slow me down?Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

3. Why do I run? Is it worth it?
2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
Acts 20:24 “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me –the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

Praying in gratitude, I thank God for a special time with Him.  I am ready to run the race that God gave me to run today!


FOR PARENTS:
 
1. Set up a race for your kids, where the winner gets a small prize.

2. Talk with your kids about God’s plan for their life.  Another way to say it is, God has a race for them to run.
 
3. Focus on Hebrews 12:1 Explain what it means to “fix their eyes on Jesus”.  Just as a runner fixes his eyes on the finish line, so we should fix our eyes on Jesus.   His ways, not our ways.

4. Talk about the hard work involved in running a race.  Life is like that…hard work! But it is worth it, when you follow Jesus.Talk about Jesus words, “it is finished” when He died on the cross.  His race was “finished” to pay the price for our sins so we can accept His free gift and become children of God.