The apostle Paul gave this exhortation to young Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 2:
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus... 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The Lord calls us to be disciplined in following Him, minimizing distractions, thinking about how we might please Him and serving Him according to the principles He lays out for us in His word. Just like a soldier or athlete in training, we are called to have a "no excuses" mentality regarding living out our passion for Christ.
From 1st Corinthians chapter 9:
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 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.
It is the first day of spring, and while we've been in this relative heat wave for a couple of weeks now, the start of the season does remind us that we can spend more time out of doors, and with Daylight Savings Time, we can do it for longer and later in the evening. So, if you're inclined to try to up that exercise regiment, this is great time of year to make those adjustments.
Having discipline in our lives is important. I was inspired by the story of Manohar Aich, who lives in India and is a former Mr. Universe - that is a bodybuilding title also held at one time by Arnold Swarzenegger. Well, Manohar just turned 100 this past Sunday. He credits his long life to his ability to take his troubles lightly and remain happy during difficult times. He had overcome a number of hurdles, including poverty and a stint as a political prisoner. He also had a simple diet of milk, fruits and vegetables along with rice, lentils and fish. He does not smoke and has never touched alcohol.
Manohar is a great example of a disciplined life. So is award-winning surfer Bethany Hamilton, who will appear on NBC's "The Biggest Loser" tonight. In keeping with the "No Excuses" theme, the contestants travelled to Hawaii and one of the features of the visit was meeting with Bethany, who lost an arm in a shark attack, but who has displayed faith and determination to continue her surfing career.
The Bible speaks often about a disciplined life. We can make excuses for not attempting to grow in our walk with Christ, from not having enough time, to not managing the distractions in our lives, to not having a plan of action, a roadmap to spiritual fulfillment. But, if we are passionate about serving the Lord and deepening our relationship with Him, we can choose to exercise discipline in our our lives and rely on God's Spirit to enable us to keep our promises to Him.
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