If you’re like me, you’ve been watching the Summer Olympics with all its elite athletes. And if you listen to the interviews of the gold medal winners, you hear the same thing…they talk about the long, tough training and the blood, sweat, and tears it took to get to the podium. The Apostle Paul used an athletic metaphor here and in I Corinthians 9:24-25 to compare athletic training to spiritual discipline. Why? It’s because of the very well-known Isthmian Games that were held every two years, where athletes throughout Greece would converge to compete. But unlike the modern Olympics with its gold, silver, and bronze metals…there was only one winner. So, self-discipline, determination, and perseverance were the hallmarks of each athlete’s training prior. And just as they trained diligently…setting aside selfish interests to obtain the primary goal…we are to discipline ourselves, pursuing spiritual growth & godly character. Not to get a perishable wreath, but an imperishable crown at the finish line.
Safetypinlove 