"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24
Runners in the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington had to set their alarm clocks an hour earlier last Sunday in order to be at the start line by 7:00 a.m. The new start time was prompted by the extreme heat that stopped the race prematurely in 2016 when the conditions were declared to be at an "extreme risk" for the runners to continue. Ashley Foutz of Williston, who participated this year as part of a relay team, said she was thankful for the early starting time due to her experience last year. "It's going to be an adjustment, but I think in the end, it'll be good," Foutz said. "Last year was really rough, and it wasn't fun."
You know, adapting to adjustments isn't always easy or fun but, as the story illustrates, is many times necessary in order for us to make it to the finish line. And that's most definitely true in our spiritual lives as well. Paul knew it when he reminded the Church at Ephesus that, in order to be more like Christ and finish the race, they would need to make some adjustments in their behavior. You see, when you and I continue to live as we did before we became Christians, we are at an "extreme risk" of failing in our walk and in need of a change. And that change means putting off our "old self" or the way we once acted, spoke and thought and replacing it with a "new self" and a mind guided by the Holy Spirit.
So if what you're doing or the way you're living now is just not working and putting you at an "extreme risk" for failure, maybe it's time to make a change? It will definitely be an adjustment, but I know in the end it will be more than good.
Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much that you would forgive us when we don't act like the people you created us to be. Help us to recognize if our thinking or actions need to be changed and then give us the power to make the adjustments. Renew us from the inside out Lord. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
Renew me - Avalon
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