#TuesdayTruth 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Drew Gonzalez • June 6, 2023
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
“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.”
Isn’t God cool- how He gives us ways to better understand Him in Scripture?!
Think about a runner/athlete- not just any runner, but an elite runner, who has a goal ahead of winning some particularly prestigious race. That runner “goes into strict training.” He or she will follow a rigid training program, maintain a strict diet, make sure to hydrate sufficiently, ensure they get plenty of rest; all this, among other things, because he or she knows that it is all in an effort to achieve that particular goal. They most likely set aside a lot of time and energy for training, which means giving up on other comforts/opportunities/offers.
Now, let’s consider our purpose, our goal, here on earth. Jesus was our perfect example and He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). We are to love God, love His people, and make Heaven crowded.
In life, there are so many things that vie for our time and attention. Many of those things truly do not matter when we think of them in the scope of eternity. We have to remind ourselves to keep in focus what is most important and what our true purpose is here on earth.
We can just consider that runner, who went into strict training. They pushed aside all the distractions, and all the things that could keep them from their true goal. None of that other “stuff” matters.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving us relatable examples in Your word so that we can better understand You and what is most important to You. Thank you for offering us the ultimate “prize” or “crown” (and not just a crown, but one that will last forever)! Thank you for Your Son.
We love you Father,
Amen.
“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
I am SO very thankful that we are instructed to not view anyone “from a worldly point of view.”
Genesis 16:13“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’ ”I have always enjoyed learning the names of God. They tell us so much about Him, and can be so comforting.Here are just a few:Jehovah Rohi, the Lord my Shepherd,Jehovah Jireh, the Lord shall provide,Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals,and in the verse above, El Roi, the God who sees me.The context here is pertinent. Hagar was an Egyptian slave to Sarai, Abram’s wife. When Sarai was unable to become pregnant, she “gave” Hagar to Abram as another wife in an effort to give him children. Hagar did get pregnant, but then Sarai began to despise and mistreat her, so Hagar fled. This is HEAVY. This woman is in such a terrible situation. As far as we know, she did not do anything wrong, yet she still ended up in this situation. But God.He heard her cries and the Bible says that the angel of the Lord “found” her and spoke to her. At that point, she gave this name to God- “God who sees me.”Please take a moment and let that sink in. God is not just this big, far-away, that who does not know what is going on in your life, or your concerns and fears. No. He SEES you. He cares for you. He loves you as His child. Heavenly Father,Thank you for being Jehovah El Roi- the God who sees us. Thank you for not only seeing us, but for also saving us. Thank you that we are never alone, because we have you. We love you,Amen
Isaiah 1:17-18“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord.‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”Every now and again I feel like I get (metaphorically) punched in the gut with a reminder of some past sin/mistake. It can just be a quick thought initially- a sudden remembering- and then, if left unchecked, it breeds guilt, shame, that feeling of how unworthy I am. It is not a bad thing to recognize when we have done wrong. In fact, it is a part of how we become more like Him. However, we should not dwell on our sin. Thank God that He will remember our sins no more (Hebrews 10:17). We can live with a clean conscience, knowing that we have been forgiven. We have been justified, and God says he “will never count our sin against us” (Romans 4:8). Living free from the consciousness of sin brings about the transformed mind that will allow us to be more like Him. I hope that we never lose sight of just how incredible it is that God our Father offers us reconciliation with Him. As the verses here say, though our sins are like scarlet (we are thoroughly stained and unable to change that on our own), they will be white as snow- GONE, FULLY ERASED. We, who are in Christ, are not who we once were. We are forgiven. We are sons and daughters. Despite how unworthy we are on our own, through Him, we are “white as snow.”Heavenly Father,Thank you, above all else, for forgiveness. We thank you that, although our sins are like scarlet, you make us white as snow. We would have no hope without you, but because of you, we have eternal hope.We love you,Amen
John 16:33“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”Unfortunately, trouble is not a possibility in this life, but, instead, is something that we know we will experience. Sometimes the trouble is something small- I dropped my coffee- and sometimes the trouble is huge- a life threatening illness, a marriage ending, a loss that causes an ache right down to the bone. Either way- no matter the “size” of the trouble- Jesus assures us that we can have peace in Him. He has already won the victory and He offers us the chance to share in that victory. It is spelled out fairly simply in this passage:Trouble. Where? In this world.Peace. Where? In Him.I saw something recently that talked about “waiting” to be in a situation with no trouble. I do not know about you, but I have been there (“maybe once this happens, I will not worry so much” or “maybe when we are in that situation, I can finally rest”). Actually, a different approach would be better- identifying how He can BE your peace, despite the trouble of this world.We are called to be a light. This is how we can be different, and how we can shine- peace in Him in the midst of troubling times. We know how this story ends and we know who has the victory.Heavenly Father,Thank you for the assurance that we can have peace despite our circumstances. Thank you for being the source of that peace. Thank you for allowing us to share in your victory. We love you,Amen
Have you ever read a bible verse over and over, hundreds or even thousands of times, and then, all of the sudden you see/hear something different in it; it’s like a lightbulb just goes ON? I read this verse recently and it “hit” me differently this time.
The Festivus Games were a blast, and we have the photos to prove it. Shout out to “Seen and Loved Studios” for these incredible photos from Festivus on 4/20/24!We hope you love as much as we do:https://tinyurl.com/Festivus-PhotosPlease enjoy and make sure to tag @seenandloved.studios , @crossfit1510 and @festivusgames if you share.Thank you all for participating in the April 2024 Festivus.
One of the first things that comes to my mind when I read this Scripture is the song “Known” by Tauren Wells (in one part it says, “I’m fully known and loved by You”). Think about that for a moment- fully known- not partially, not mostly, not more than others, but FULLY known.
Proverbs 3:5-6“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”I would guess that at some point most, if not all, of us have heard (or even said) “Follow your heart” or “Go with your gut.” I understand the sentiment. However, this Scripture shifts that perspective significantly.We are actually instructed NOT to try to figure things out by our own means (or with our “own understanding”) and instead, trust in the Lord with all our hearts. The world might tell you to follow your heart. However, later, in Jeremiah 17:9 we read, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” When you think about it, is not the way God intended SO MUCH BETTER anyway? I do not know about you, but by this point in my life, I am quite certain that I do not have it all figured out. I do not have all (or even many) of the answers. More often than not, my prayer is similar to 2 Chronicles 20: 12 “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”What an encouraging thought- if I trust in Him and submit to Him, He will direct my path. He is a good, good Father. Of course, I can trust the path on which He sends me.Heavenly Father,Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your guidance. Thank you that we can trust in You- to guide us along Your path, to guard us from harm, and to direct our steps. We love you,Amen.
Psalms 116:7“Return to your rest, my soul,for the Lord has been good to you.”As the busy-ness of the holiday season comes to an end, this verse provides such comfort. Take a deep breath, read it again and exhale slowly. Give yourself time to reflect on the previous days/weeks/months. Personally, I am not someone who is, by nature, good at this. I do not typically make a “top 10” of a year at the end of that year, or even make resolutions for the new year. However, I see the benefit of thinking back on things that happened, decisions that were made, lessons learned, and/or goals achieved (or even those that “fell by the wayside”). I think it is healthy to pause, reflect, rest, and know that God is good.Obviously we all had different 2023 events/experiences. Not everything that happened in 2023 was “good” but our God is still good. His nature is goodness. It is WHO HE IS.We have talked before about “soul level rest” and how this is a whole other level of rest. We rest, knowing that the God of the universe loves us so immensely that he “left he 99” for just this one. So, as 2024 begins, I encourage you to let your soul rest, and remember all the ways that “the Lord has been good to you.”Heavenly Father,Thank you for REST, your rest. Thank you that you not only advise us to rest, but you actually command it. Thank you for providing the Sabbath. Even more, thank you that we can rest in You, in Your goodness.We love you,Amen.
