"Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means." Daniel 5:17
If I asked you what motivated you to run, what would you say? What main reason would you give? In a poll by the Scottish Running Guide, 44 percent of the runners surveyed replied their reason for running was to maintain fitness, 26 percent said it was to lose weight, 13 percent cited it was to compete in races, 9 percent to cope with stress and the remaining runners claimed other (7%), to support charity (3%) and to spend time with friends (2%). While I agree that a few of the reasons I run are to maintain fitness, spend time with friends and participate in races, my real motivation is to bring glory to His Name and to lead others to Him. While running or not, shouldn't that be our motivation for anything we do though?
Daniel thought so. The Bible tells us that, when he was called by King Belshazzar to interpret the meaning of the writing on the wall, Daniel was offered fine clothes, a gold chain and to be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom which he declined saying, "You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means." Daniel was not motivated by material rewards, position or power, he was motivated by his love for God and the desire to fulfill his calling. His response to the king showed, once again, that 100 percent of his motivation for anything was to glorify his Lord.
As Warren Wiersbe wrote, "Daniel gave all the glory to God; he took none of it for himself. There is no limit to what God will do for the believer who will let God have all the glory." So today are you and I like Daniel? Living each moment to give the glory where it's due? What's your motivation?
Heavenly Father, thank you for the abilities, talents and gifts you have given each of us. While they are all different, may we use them to bring you glory and to share Christ with the world. Let nothing we do be out of selfish ambition but to bring you the glory and praise that only You are due. We offer our lives to You today. Use us Lord. It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
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