Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Today's Passage

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

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 a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Paul described life as a race. He clearly knew the goal that God had set for him, and he knew that the most important thing was for him to complete the race. In 2 Timothy, Paul said that "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." This is such a precious word! Paul knew that God has given him goals in life and he knew that he needed to reach the goal.

What is your attitude on life and ministry? Many of us have the attitude of just doing as much as we can and running as far as we can, but we often miss the opportunities and mission that God has given us. To Paul, it's not just a matter of doing and running, but he needed to fight the good fight and run the right race. One day, we will all stand before the throne of God. At that time, the biggest regret that we could have would be not having reached the goal that we are supposed to reach. In the book of Joshua, when Joshua was old, God told him that he was already old, but there were still many lands that he has not conquered. Land of Canaan was supposed to the promised land that God has given to Israel, thus the Israelites were supposed to conquer it, but that didn't happen during the time Joshua.

In our life and ministry, are we making our best effort to conquer the land that God has given us? Paul understood that he needed to race towards a direction. Not only racing on the right direction, Paul also said "I beat my body and make it my slave." As soon as you find out what is the race is in your life, you must give it all you got and make your best effort, so that we may claim the rewards that God has prepared for us in Christ Jesus. Let us devote all that we have in our lifetime to please God.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, we thank you because we can see that you have purposes and plans for our lives. Please open our eyes so that we may know your plan and know which race to run. Give us plenty of courage and strength so that we may do our best to please you. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!