The Athlete

In three weeks the opening ceremony for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games begins.
Athletes from around the world will gather to compete in their sport.
The best of the best are hoping to medal in their specific event.

To get to that place takes years and years of training.
There are injuries and pain along the way.
However, the athletes are determined, driven; nothing will deflect them from their goal.

I do not have an Olympian for a daughter, but I do have an All-American.
My oldest daughter is an All-American lacrosse player.
She still holds most of the defensive records at her college.
She started and played in every college game.

Graduating as an All-American in lacrosse did not come without training.
Since she went to a Christian college, practice was held six days a week.
Practice was from 4-6 pm each day, but often an hour was added on each end if need be.

She had a six-week fall season and a fifteen-week regular season.
During the season, Saturday practices became Saturday games.
Away games could be up to three hours away by bus.

All year round, the athletes trained.
They had weight lifting and workout schedules to follow.
They had individual skills to master.

Scrimmages, stick drills, and sprints were commonplace.
My daughter was in the best physical shape of her life.
Though grueling, it was worth it.

After graduation, that intense training was not part of her daily routine.
She continued to play in various leagues and even coached high school girls for a time.
It was never the same; the intensity was not there since other things needed to be done.

Each year at her college Homecoming, there is an alumni lacrosse game.
The alumni team plays against the current lacrosse team.
My daughter holds her own quite well, but her body just cannot do what it used to do.

She was amazed at how quickly an athlete becomes unconditioned.
She was amazed at how cutting back even a little bit, lessens your performance.
She is still an amazing athlete, but she feels the difference in her body.

I’m so sore; I’m using muscles I haven’t used in a while.
I used to be able to do that; I’m not as fast as I used to be.
Athletes share the same lament.

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 a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

Paul used the example of an athlete to explain the life of a Christian.
An athlete trains, works hard, prepares for each race, or each game.

How hard do we train for the spiritual race we are running?

Our spiritual race is not a competition with others.
It is a race with ourselves, a personal best.
How disciplined are we when it comes to our spiritual training?

Do we go at it with the same enthusiasm?
Do we sharpen our skills as we study God’s Word?
Do we train ourselves in holiness and Godliness?

We wonder why our spiritual muscles ache when we haven’t been in the Word for a while.
We wonder why we are just not as quick as we used to be remembering a verse or passage.
We wonder how we got unconditioned so quickly.

We have become lazy in our spiritual training.
Other things keep pressing in on us.
The spiritual disciplines of Bible reading and prayer take a back seat.

They are the last things we think about when we are too tired to think of anything.
However, they are the very things we need the most.
It is exactly the conditioning we need in all areas of our life.

It is not impossible to get back into good spiritual shape.
It takes time, commitment, and discipline.
The benefits are worth far more than any gold medal.

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives tales; rather train yourself to be Godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7,8)

Godliness has value for all things.
Disciplined study, faithfulness, and consistency make a great spiritual athlete.
Spiritual training makes you stronger.

It is so easy to lapse in our spiritual training.
Other things seem to need our attention more than time in God’s word.
Nothing is more important.

Our culture tends to put athleticism above everything else.
Training our bodies, but not caring about our souls is futile.
Training in Godliness has eternal benefits.

Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. (2 Timothy 2:5)

There is one basic rule.
PUT GOD FIRST!

Train yourself in Godliness.
Spend time each day with God in prayer.
Spend time each day reading God’s Word.
Be a spiritual athlete that is pressing on towards the eternal prize.

 

2 responses to “The Athlete”

1. Wow, Gina! Exactly the real life example I need for THIS Saturday Men’s Bible Study! We are in 1 Timothy 4.

   Reply

   • Al,
     Isn’t it amazing how God gives us just that we need at the right time?
     I’m glad this will be a blessing to the men at Bible study this Saturday.
     God is never late!
     Gina

     Reply