God desires for us to live in a way that pleases Him; a way that truly benefits us more than we may think. God’s discipline issues in grace and love. It comes from the heart of a loving Father who truly has our best interest in mind. He has an inheritance for us far more valuable than what we might imagine.
RELEVANCE
There was a time during my early college days that I trained race horses. There was one horse in particular I thought I’d like to buy. He had good breeding, but not the conformation people expected from a champion. I asked my dad for the money from my college fund to buy the horse. As you would expect, he declined. A year later, working in a different stable, that very horse was assigned to me to train.
Long story short, the horse won his first ten races as a two year old. However, I didn’t benefit at all from his earnings. But I learned a greater lesson. God kept me in His race for a greater purpose. He has a crown that cannot be taken away. I later learned that the apostle, Paul, learned a similar lesson.
And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:25-27).
REFLECT AND RELATE
What things have you won and lost?
What have been some of your great accomplishments?
For what things have you gained significant recognition? What was the real value of some of those things?
REFERENCES
Ecclesiastes 1:1-3 and 12:8-14