Pursue that Personal Relationship

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19,20

As I stopped to take pictures of the beautiful sunrise emerging before me while on my early morning run before church last Sunday, the Lord prompted me to recall how I had changed as a runner over the last decade. And as I did, I could only shake my head at the thought of how I once was a highly competitive person that tenaciously chased PR's (Personal Records), rarely slowing down enough to admire God's creation much less stopping to grab a photo of the beauty of it. Oh how I smiled at the thought of how I now chase a different kind of PR above all else... a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ, a relationship that has forever changed my life and my running. 

And you know, as I pondered this revelation more and more with every step, I felt convicted about having once based my identity on being a runner who happened to be a Christian rather than a Christian who happened to be a runner. You see, the Bible tells us that our bodies are not our own because you and I were "bought at a price." And since our bodies belong to the Lord, everything we do should serve to "glorify God" and not ourselves. 

So go ahead and chase that Personal Record my friend. But remember Whose you are and to Whom you belong and pursue that Personal Relationship above all else. After all, there is no medal, plaque, award, acclamation, or trophy you and I could ever earn that could compare to the joy of giving Him the glory that He is due.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that we are, first and foremost, your children, grafted into the family of believers by Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross. Give us the desire Lord to use all that You have given us, namely our time, treasures and talents to bring You the glory that You alone are due. Lord, whether we win or whether we lose, may we be able so say that we always did our best with the intent of glorifying the Name above all other names. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!

Glory to You - Aaron Schust