Shirley's Desk

It’s Time to Shape Up!

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 someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to 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)

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All praises to our Most High God for another year! God is so good, kind and merciful to us. Aren’t you grateful that He does not give us what we deserve but gives us the gift of eternal life? What an awesome God we serve! Saints, we have one life to live, so let’s live it to the glory of God.

Every New Year we make promises to ourselves, and sometimes to others, that during this particular year we are going to get it right. Some of us focus on our health, losing weight, eating better, or exercising, etc., only to break those promises within a month or two. Good nutrition is my continuing priority. The older I get the more I realize how important it is to take care of my body. I wish I were aware of what is truly good nutrition when I was younger, because I would have done things differently. I’m sure many of you feel the same as I do. Unfortunately, we cannot travel back into the past to right what was wrong, but we can go forward with the intent of doing things better.

In 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27, the Apostle Paul uses a metaphor of someone training for a race to illustrate how we Christians should run this Christian race throughout our lives. All athletes have to be careful as to what they eat. The diet and training for a sprinter will be different from those who run marathons. The sprinter is concerned about speed, but the marathon runner is concerned about endurance. The sprinter’s body is muscular while the marathon runner’s body is lean. However, they both have to be disciplined and train consistently for their particular race. The sprinter’s goal is to finish the race as quickly as possible at top speed. The marathon runner’s goal is to pace himself or herself so that he or she will be able endure the long haul and finish the race.

The Christian’s life is like a marathon rather than a sprint. We have to be trained and disciplined to endure for the long haul. God has left us here to be witnesses for Him. Do you think we will be able to carry out our assignments effectively and with passion if we are sickly and weak? Child of God, what are you eating and drinking? Does your diet consist of eating primarily junk food, or are you eating daily from the Bread of Life, and drinking Living Water from the well that will never run dry? Just like physical nutrition is important to maintain good health, spiritual nutrition is as important for our spiritual health. Don’t just take care of the physical and ignore the spiritual. Take care of your body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Beware of those things that come to distract you and take you off course. Keep your eyes on the prize which is eternity with Jesus! Live your life pleasing Him— not yourself or anyone else. Let’s determine that 2020 will be the year we SHAPE UP both physically and spiritually for life.

Happy New Year from the Daughters of Zion Women’s Ministries!

Elder Shirley Freeman