I turn 40 one month from today. This is a big life moment for me. It makes me think of that scene from “City Slickers” (yeah that’s right . . . “City Slickers” came out 22 years ago. Today’s College Seniors were not alive when the movie was released. I am feeling old . . . ):
As you get older, though, you get to know yourself better and better. One thing I have found out about myself is that there is a distinct difference in me depending on if I am “training” for something, or not. I have had the great privilege of running in 4 marathons and 1 half marathon over the past decade. Getting ready for these races involves me eating right, exercising regularly, etc. While I am “in season” for an event, I make a lot of decisions to make reaching that goal a reality.
However, in the times of my life when I am not specifically training for an event, I have a tendency to eat too much, exercise too little, and make a whole series of small decisions that lead me to getting out of shape very quickly. This inconsistency drives some who know me crazy, but it is a reality I have to deal with in life, given my personality . . . effective when focused, but easily distracted.
I was thinking about my experiences in and out of season today as I was reflecting on the verses we are going to be looking at this Sunday morning at Wildwood in our 9:30 and 10:50 worship services. This week, we will be looking at 1 Corinthians 9:19-27. In these verses Paul talks about his singular objective in life of glorifying God and being used by Him to connect others to Christ. In making this objective a reality, Paul compares his evangelistic efforts to that of a sportsman . . . disciplined and focused; not being easily distracted or disqualified.
For me personally I need this message. I need to remember that I am always “in season” and that God desires me to live a disciplined life of purpose in His plan. This Sunday, we will be looking at these verses to see what that exactly means. I hope you can join us this week at Wildwood!
In prep for Sunday, you can do four things:
- Pray that God would open your eyes to a deep understanding of His truth.
- Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-27.
- Bring something sporting to church this Sunday as a family (could be a wristband, a picture from a magazine of an athlete, a Lego creation that is sporting in nature) and put it on the table in the Gathering Hall marked for week 5 of our Lego Church series.
- Invite a friend to join you this Sunday at Wildwood.
We look forward to worshipping with you this week as we explore week 5 of our current sermon series “Lego Church: Built to Be Together.” Check the video below for a further update:
Come