"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24 NET
In trail and ultra racing, it is rare for two people to tie for a win. So can you imagine the surprise at the finish line of the 2017 Bighorn Trail 100 in June when four runners crossed the finish line holding hands for an unprecedented four-way tie? But that's exactly what happened. Twelve hours of a torrential downpour and other difficult circumstances throughout the race had brought these men together at different points and, as they headed to the finish, no one rushed to be first. One of the runners later said, "It is really a testament to the type of people who do these ultramarathons, that four of us could set our egos aside and help each other get to the finish line."
And while the willingness of these runners to set their "egos aside" is certainly witness to their character, the Bible tells us that our willingness to set our "egos aside" reveals how closely we are walking with Christ. You see, ego, as defined, is a person's sense of self-importance-and the more a person sees themselves as important, the less willing and able they are to discern and do God's will. Which is why Jesus clearly tells us, "If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself". In other words, to be a true follower of Christ, we must forever put to death the words, "my will be done" and replace them with the words "Thy will be done."
S. Truett Cathy, a Christian businessman who founded the fast food chain Chick-fil-A, was known to be a very humble leader and had this to say about ego, "You know what ego stands for? Edging God Out!" So may we be careful to deny ourselves and check our ego at the door each and every day that nothing would hinder our walk with Christ.
Heavenly Father, thank you loving us so much that you would allow us to follow you if we would only lay down our fleshly wants and desires to do so. Help us to realize that everything-every talent, every penny, every possession and our very existence- comes from you. And, as such, we have nothing to boast in but your blessings in our life. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
I surrender - All sons and daughters
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