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"For I determined not to know anything
among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
(1 Corinthians 2:2)
Greetings from Orlando, FL. My family and I are here this week on vacation and enjoying time together. Some of us will run various races in what is called RunDisney. We will be running through the Disney parks. We will begin our races bright and early at 5:00 a.m. Last year, 25,000 people participated, and I imagine there will be that many or more this year. This will be my third year to run what is called the Dopey Race. And yes, you must be a little crazy to run four days in a row: 5K, 10K, half marathon, and then a full marathon. This week, I am writing about a favorite topic of mine, and that is determination. To accomplish anything in life of significance, you must have a persevering spirit that refuses to give up.
I am determined to finish these races, as the Lord wills. But far more important than running any physical race is to run the spiritual race where I serve Jesus with everything I have and finish the race with joy, and that is my desire. Paul states in Acts 20:24: "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."
First, let me encourage you to let some things go. You would not want to run a marathon with ankle weights or a backpack loaded with rocks. It would only slow you down and prevent you from finishing. Likewise, in the spiritual race of walking with God and serving Him, there are some things we need to let go of. For example, Paul was determined to not embrace certain pursuits in his desire to walk with God and preach Jesus Christ.
Paul addresses the Church at Corinth as "brethren". Paul loved this troubled yet triumphant church that he planted. We have two groups of people reading this devotional today, and they are the same two groups present when Paul preached: those who know Christ and those who do not. For those who know Him, I pray for you today that you would commit afresh to letting go of things that do not matter and fully embracing Christ and His will for your life to know Him and make Him known. As you pursue Christ and follow Paul's example and teaching, you will be blessed. Those of you who do not know Jesus, my prayer for you is that you would believe God that He loves you and has your best interests at heart.
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