Ready:
"For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me."
-Philippians 1:21-23
Set:
Several athletes reached milestones in their athletic career in the past few days. Bonds hit #756, A Rod hit #500, Tom Glavine won is 300th game, and Tiger won another tournament for the third straight year. These athletes have accomplished amazing things in their careers and will continue to break records and set new milestones until their time in their sport is finished.
Paul was a person of milestones, as well. Before he came to Christ, his milestone was to persecute and kill as many Christians as possible. Then one day while he was walking on a road a new milestone was reached. He heard Christ, found Christ and became new in Christ, and everything was forever changed. From there, his life took on new milestones. He was imprisoned, shipwrecked and chased out of towns, yet all the while reaching more and more people with the gospel of Christ. His big eternal milestone still awaited him, too, which he was also torn about. He knew a life in heaven would be far greater than here on earth but that there was more earthly milestones to be reached before he was called home.
What are the milestones in your sport? What are you are striving for today? Greater still, what are your spiritual milestones? Here are several options to strive for--especially as a new school year begins: reading through God's word in a year, praying with your family/spouse every day, sharing your faith with your friends. These are just a few spiritual milestones you can strive for before God calls you home. Though athletic milestones are significant, they fail to compare with the heavenly milestone that awaits us in Christ.
Keep striving to reach all your milestones in life, but make sure you don't lose sight of heaven in the process!
Go:
1. What are some of the milestones you have accomplished in your sport?
2. What are some of the spiritual milestones you are currently pursuing?
3. Today, how can you learn from Paul in how to better pursue Christ?
Workout:
Psalm 23:6
Proverbs 21:21
Philippians 3:12-15