Thought for June 6

 History:

• 1844: YMCA formed by George Williams in London
• 1912: Novarupta erupts in Alaska
• 1925: Chrysler Motors founded
• 1932: First gas tax in the US passed
• 1934: Securities and Exchange Commission created
• 1944: Operation Overlord--D-Day
• 1965: Rolling Stones release "Satisfaction"
• 1966: NFL and AFL announce their merger
• 1966: Stokely Carmichael launches "Black Power" movement
• 1968: Bobby Kennedy dies after being shot the previous night
• 2002: Asteroid explodes over the Mediterranean--more powerful than Nagasaki bomb
• 2018: Special pedestrian lane opened in China just for "phubbers" --slow walking smartphone users
• Born: Nathan Hale, Robert Falcon Scott, David Abercrombie, Thomas Mann, Sukarno, Bobby Mitchell [NFL], Tommie Smith [black power salute Mexico City], Bjorn Borg, Paul Giamatti, 
• Died: Patrick Henry, Hiram Bingham [re-discovered Machu Picchu], Carl Jung, J Paul Getty, Stan Getz, Sylvia Porter, Anne Bancroft, Billy Preston, Marvin Isley [Isley Brothers], Esther Williams, Red Schoendienst, Jim Seals [Seals & Crofts]

Thought:

Reading 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Dr. Erwin Lutzer of Moody Church has a radio program called "Running to Win" taken from this passage. Paul often uses athletic examples to make spiritual points. Here, he reminds us that we are running a race and that our goal is to run in a way that leads to victory. Interesting that we sometimes call life a "rat race." Jesus looks at it differently. What do I hear from the Lord in these verses?

• I am in a race. All of us are running. The real question is what is the goal of the race? What is the prize I seek? What is the outcome I hope for? Look around. People are running after wealth, position, power, recognition, praise, fame. Their eyes are set on the prize of a big bonus, a new promotion, an award, applause. They will do anything to win the race--work long hours, compromise their standards, cheat. Remember Rosie Ruiz? In 1980, she crossed the finish line first in the Boston Marathon in a time of 2:31:56, a record for Boston and third fastest marathon time for a woman in history. But she was not tired, not sweating. She had entered the race in the last mile. She wanted the prize, the honor, the praise, but bot the running. I must ask myself daily, what is the prize I seek? What is my goal in this race called life? Philippians 3:14 says that I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Today, let that be the race I run.
• The race is difficult. This race called life is not easy. In 9:27, Paul says he has to buffet his body. This is a picture of a jockey whipping the horse to make it run faster. Paul says he whips himself into shape to run the race. So I need to be ready to encounter trials and problems--disease, injury, rejection, misunderstanding. And I must make every effort to drive my body toward the goal. Makes me think of Desmond Doss, the subject of the movie "Hacksaw Ridge." Sometimes we must force ourselves into the race by thinking "just one more." Desmond wanted to save just one more soldier. Do we want to save just one more lost sheep?
• We do not race alone. Look at Hebrews 12:1 this morning--since we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, we run with endurance the race before us. We are surrounded by other travelers running for the same prize and we are surrounded by heavenly fans cheering us on toward victory.
• The prize is worth the race. We receive an imperishable wreath of victory from the One who won the eternal victory at Calvary. 

Today, make sure we are running in the right race, for the right prize. Then run to win, with endurance, courage, knowing that we do not run alone--He runs with us and before us. 

Blessings

Larry