Tuesday's Thought of the Day !!

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. – 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NLT) 

The race that Paul speaks of finishing was not a sprint.  It was a marathon, which is very important.  In a marathon, it's not how well you start (many of us may start slow).  It's how you finish.  

Just about anyone can finish a hundred yard dash.  It may take a while for a lot of us.  But we can finish the race at least.  But a marathon is different.  You have to train hard for a marathon or you'll never even make it to the end.   

Our lives are like marathons with three legs to the great race.  Consider which leg you may be in, and ask yourself how well you are staying trained spiritually for the marathon life of a Christian. 

1st Leg – to come into a deeply personal relationship with God through Christ – to learn of His love and to share in that love with Him by giving it back to Him 

2nd leg – to listen to Him and His calling on our lives and then train for these callings through prayer and worship and Bible Study 

3rd leg – to live out this loving relationship and this calling with all His other children (our brothers and sisters) 

In the love of Christ,

greg