All Called to Run the Race.....

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 ”Do you not know that in a race, all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercise self-control in all things”

Last month I watched a documentary entitled "Spirit of the Marathon" (video on page). The film follows seven competitors, two professional and five amateurs as they prepared for the Chicago Marathon. Each runner (independent trainer, novice single mother, professional male international, senior grandfather, young couple new parents, and professional female) has different reasons to run a marathon but two things remain constant:

1. Every one's life is changed by running the race
   
2. Everyone must train to run in the race

When Paul compares our life with Christ to running a race, I think he was attempting to paint this picture for us. All of us are called to follow Christ no matter the life situation. Following Christ will have an impact on our life and those around us. Everyone must train to compete to receive the prize. Over the next few weeks, I hope to look at how these seven stories illustrate the different ways we share in this goal...to run the race and follow Christ.

What did the Holy Spirit reveal to you Sunday......

It is my hope to hear what the Holy Spirit left with you from Sunday's Worship Services and Celebrations. It can be something from the sermon, song, hymn, prayer, or creed. Please identify the church, pastor, worship leader, worship team, or author depending what you remember.

This Sunday at City of Hope Church in Columbia, MD. Pastor Ince preached from the Job 28:12-28 focusing on finding the wisdom in suffering. While Pastor Ince made several great points (check out his sermon ) he made two points that stuck with me. 1) When people suffer and we can link it to their actions (smoking - lung cancer, over drinking - liver disease), we tend to be less gracious even state they are getting what they deserve. 2)When people suffer and we cannot link it to a direct sin, we are left with God doing something unimaginable or the person must be hiding a sin. In John 9 the disciples have this same question. Jesus responds by telling them "... that the works of God might be displayed in him (the blind man)." What works is God displaying through your suffering?