Run the Race – Encouragement for Today – January 21, 2020 | Divine Devotion Daily

January 21, 2020

“Reward the LORD, my soul, and overlook not all his advantages — who forgives all of your sins and heals all of your illnesses, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your wishes with good issues in order that your youth is renewed just like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:2-5 (NIV)

Once I go for what I name a “run” — jogging round my neighborhood for about 10 minutes — I typically take my giant Goldendoodle canine named Winston with me (whose favourite pastime occurs to be napping).

In contrast to some canine, Winston doesn’t simply run proper alongside me or in entrance of me. He wants a bit of motivation. So I seize a doggie biscuit and maintain it like a baton in entrance of him. He sniffs with pleasure and follows me, often trailing for the primary 4 homes earlier than catching up. He loves getting his biscuit deal with after our train!

With the reward in sight, he runs onward.

The Christian life is in comparison with a race within the Bible many instances:

“Do you not know that in a race all of the runners run, however just one will get the prize?” (1 Corinthians 9:24a, NIV)

“You have been working race. Who lower in on you to maintain you from obeying the reality?” (Galatians 5:7, NIV)

“I’ve fought the great battle, I’ve completed the race” (2 Timothy 4:7a, b, NIV).

“And allow us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1c, NIV).

Working a race takes self-discipline, consistency, effort and motion in the identical course. When we’ve a reward in sight, like Winston and his canine biscuit, it retains us motivated, serving to us to persevere by problem or fatigue. We actually run for the prize of heaven and rewards just like the crown of life (James 1:12) and a crown that may final perpetually. (1 Corinthians 9:25) However there are rewards and advantages to take pleasure in proper now in your race!

Our key verse written by David, highlights the advantages of serving God: “Reward the Lord, my soul, and overlook not all his advantages — who forgives all of your sins and heals all of your illnesses, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your wishes with good issues in order that your youth is renewed just like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:2-5).

David is speaking to himself in these verses. He’s encouraging his personal coronary heart. He’s reminding himself of the advantages of following God’s instructions. He’s giving a “locker room speak” to an viewers of 1 — like a rousing speech coaches give to sports activities groups earlier than taking part in a giant recreation.

He’s stirring up reward within the inward man.

He’s remembering what God has accomplished for him that nobody can take away.

He’s grateful to be forgiven.

He’s recognizing it’s God who satisfies with good issues.

It is a glimpse into David’s inside lifetime of reward. It reveals his motivation and what stored him working so robust that he was known as a person after God’s personal coronary heart. How can we preserve working the race faithfully every single day after the center of God?

There are numerous sinful distractions alongside the best way that journey us up. There’s additionally a really refined snare — the lure of forgetfulness. We don’t go off on an evil path. We simply decelerate and cease remembering all that God has accomplished. We change into forgetful, then unthankful. We overlook the awesomeness of God. We overlook how God has delivered us. We overlook why we made the dedication to run the race as a disciple within the first place.

It’s time to awake our souls to recollect our God who’s compassionate and gracious, gradual to anger and abounding in love. After we bear in mind who He’s, we’ve the ability to maintain working, jogging, strolling in the fitting course. So what retains us working the race? Remembering the advantages of following God. Let’s not overlook He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns and satisfies!

Heavenly Father, thank You for being my redeemer and for saving my soul. I bear in mind Your goodness right this moment. You don’t deal with me as my sins deserve or repay me in accordance with my iniquities. As excessive because the heavens are above the earth, so nice is Your love for me. I take time now to recollect Your greatness. Thank You for having compassion on me. In Jesus’ Title, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Acts 20:24, “Nonetheless, I think about my life price nothing to me; my solely intention is to complete the race and full the duty the Lord Jesus has given me — the duty of testifying to the excellent news of God’s grace.” (NIV)

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, “Might God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you thru and thru. Might your complete spirit, soul and physique be stored innocent on the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is devoted, and he’ll do it.” (NIV)

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CONNECT:
It takes perseverance to run the race properly and faithfully serve your loved ones. Do you know about Arlene Pellicane’s Happy Home podcast that will help you alongside the journey? Arlene interviews marriage and parenting specialists and has candid and sensible conversations created to encourage you and your loved ones. Test it out right this moment!

REFLECT AND RESPOND:
Why do you suppose the Bible makes use of the analogy of a race?

Take into consideration what God has accomplished for you. What was your life like earlier than you knew Him? Take a number of moments to jot down down a number of the advantages of serving God, and then share with us in the comments section!

Proverbs 31 Ministries
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Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org