The stunning performances witnessed at the Olympic Games were the result of years of rigorous athletic discipline in the lives of the competitors. Some of this discipline was self-imposed. Some of it was prescribed by their coaches and the standard guidelines of the event. Without submission to discipline winning would be impossible.

Discipline is at the root of discipleship. We need to be able to say 'no' to distractions if we are to say 'yes' to God's call. We need to lay aside the weights that sap our energy, fuzz our focus, and hinder our time.

One bad step can slow us down. A careless look over the shoulder can cause us to stumble. Excess weight can cost us precious time. A violation of the rules can disqualify us from the race.

The God of all grace has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. He has put His life in us to empower us to be His body. We are to flesh out His nature. Christ wants to walk through the streets of our towns and transform lives. He can only do this through a people of active faith.

Throughout generations, He has called people to run the faith relay; to take the baton of their God-given mission and run according to His revealed purpose. A long list of those who have run laps in past generations appears in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Those who ran well did so because they submitted to God's discipline and appropriated God's strength. Jesus is the greatest example of this. He Himself ran the race without ever losing sight of the goal. He endured the hard hearted stubbornness and deceitfulness of sinful men. He suffered temptations of every sort, yet appropriated God's wisdom and strength to overcome. He experienced the pains of betrayal, rejection, hardship and hostility. He endured the most cruel form of torture upon the cross. He faced all that threatens the life of faith. But in all these things He looked to the Father and was more than a conqueror.

Consider how Jesus laid aside every weight that would hinder his race of obedience. He also humbly accepted the weights that His trainer (His Father) gave him to perfect Him for the role prepared for Him in the redemptive mission.

Because the Father loves us, He disciplines and trains us. Hebrews 12 warns us of two dangers:

• Failing to respond to the Father's discipline;
• Falling short of His grace. A person who falls short of God's grace, knows of Christ's example but fails to appropriate His empowering life.

The race of accomplishing God's choice purposes is not over. He has passed the baton to us. We have a mission to fulfill. Let us run the race with patience and persistence. Let us not be afraid of the 'D' word: Discipline. We need it. Remember what is at stake. What we fail to shake off in this life now will be shaken and utterly consumed later. We dare not deceive ourselves.

Your fellow faith-runner,

David MacAdam, Pastor/Teacher
New Life Community Church