Avoid it

"Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way." Proverbs 4:14,15

On January 14, the Washington Post published a story titled, "High school runner shovels entire track lane after snowstorm just to avoid the treadmill." That runner, Quinn Schneider, an 18-year-old who won his second straight North Carolina Independent Schools 1A state title last year, said he follows a strict training regimen and, when the thought of taking the day off from running came to mind, he decided to pick up his shovel instead-working over an hour to clear the path at his school's track so he could complete his 10-mile training run. When asked if all this work just to avoid running indoors was worth it, he said it was "well worth it."

You know, this type of tenacity is the same thing you and I need to avoid something that we should hate much more than the treadmill... sin. The Bible tells us that to keep away from it, we shouldn't associate closely with people that might persuade or influence us to do things contrary to God's commands and to not even, "set foot on the path of the wicked." And God's clear warning to "avoid it," means doing whatever it takes, even clearing our own path when necessary, to steer clear of anything or anyone that would tempt us to fall away or compromise. 

For his efforts, Quinn said, "All that work was so much better than having to run on a treadmill." And for each one of our vigilant efforts in avoiding sin, we can look back and say that all that work was so much better than having to repair those things and relationships that sin would most assuredly have destroyed. After all, you never have to fix what you don’t break right? 

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word that clearly tells us that the effects of sin in our lives leads to nothing but guilt, pain, divorce, addiction and regret. Help us then to do all we can to avoid sin altogether, even if that means changing our friends or our job, that we might stay focused on spiritual training and running the good race. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Run devil run - Crowder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US1-R-R9lYQ