I had the opportunity to speak in chapel at my high school alma mater last Friday. It was actually the third time I’ve spoke there this school year. I got the call on Wednesday that the scheduled speaker wasn’t going to be able to make it. I made it clear that I would happily fill in. When I asked what I needed to speak on (in two days!) the campus minister told me that January’s theme was on the spiritual disciplines.
I laughed because I had been spending the week working through Foster’s Celebration of Discipline. In fact I was reading it when I got the call. Who says God has no since of humor!
I challenged the students to look at the spiritual disciplines like they look at training for an extra curricular activity. I read them my favorite passage from 1 Corinthians.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” – (1Corinthians 9:24-27)
When I read this passage I can’t help but think about Rocky Balboa.
Let’s face it, when we meet Rocky at the beginning of the first movie he is a loser. He is washed up, down and out, and punch stupid. He is a loser.
When Apollo Creed offers him a shot at the big time no one would have blamed Rocky if he just entered the fight to lose. In the boxing big-time, even the losers become millionaires. No one expected anything from Rocky except to lose.
Instead, Rocky trained. He ran, punched frozen slabs of meat, ran, drank egg yolks, ran, and ran some more. He trained to win. He beat his body and made it a slave.
Compare that to our spiritual bodies. Most of our spiritual bodies are fat and flabby. We spend so much time training our physical bodies for athletics, work, and free-time leisure activities yet we neglect the part of us that will live forever.
I’ve been recommitting to a few spiritual disciplines this month. I have been making a true effort to commit to personal scripture reading. Believe me, I spend a great deal of time reading scripture. However, like most ministers I struggle with making a break between personal study and professional study. I read and study for what I’ll be teaching or speaking on but I feel like I too often neglect my personal study.
I’m learning to meditate upon the word of God.
I have been struck by what Joshua and James have to say on the subject.
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.– (Joshua 1:7-9 TNIV)
“But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”– (James 1:25 TNIV)
Of course, with meditating on the Word of God I’m not chasing after the blessing of the world (crowns that will not last).
I’m more concerned with peace and guidance, humility and freedom, love and understanding. I want to be blessed with connection to the Father, communion with the Son, and direction from the Spirit.
Well, I’m off to work out. Train hard brothers and sisters. I hear the pay off is awesome.