Verse of the Week...

‘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 lasts forever.’ 1 Corinthians 9:25

For whatever reason I’ve felt compelled of late to plan my own funeral. Seriously. I’m not quite certain if this means anything about my immediate fate or, perhaps more, the state of my head, but nonetheless it’s an endeavor I have an urge to complete. I want to be ready, prepared for when my last breath is breathed. So I’ve started to think about what songs will make the playlist and what the main message will convey in the farewell letter I wish to write.

All this, then, got me to thinking about what I was actually setting out to do: prepare for death. Or at least prepare for the ceremony commemorating it. My mind quickly settled on the potential folly of such a task, especially considering how ill-prepared I am for life, for the battle that is being waged, and most importantly, for the eternal life just down the road.

The Apostle Paul urges us to train, to be intentional in our preparation. The analogy he uses carries much weight. Athletes beat their bodies in order to compete and succeed in the arena, and they do so for the prospects of fading rewards: fame, notoriety, maybe a shiny piece of metal. In a similar way, followers of Jesus are to compete in the battle that is this life, which perpetually pits good against evil. They are to beat their flesh into submission, that their life would be effective, fruitful, lived by the Spirit, and this, for an eternal prize that will not spoil or fade.

The greatest enemy of preparation is unintentionality (that isn’t technically a word according to Webster, but it’s prominently listed in Ben’s Dictionary). Just a verse later Paul says, ‘Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.’ (1 Corinthians 9:26) In other words, because of the everlasting nature of the reward at stake he will not live without purpose, he will not fail to prepare (and in doing so prepare to fail!). And let me add, he will not prepare willy-nilly or, pardon my French, half-assed. Quite the contrary. Verse 27: ‘No, I beat my body and make it my slave…’ To Paul, this is serious business (eternal life, remember?). Only a fool would take it lightly.

It’s no news that this life can lull you into overvaluing, and thus pursuing, that which ultimately does not matter. And it’s certainly easy to run through it at times aimlessly, without intention. But maybe that’s all the more cause for a brief pause, to slow the spinning down so we can think about what we’re doing and what does matter. God meant this life as a training ground or ‘training camp,’ if you will. The real season, the one that’s forever, is right around the corner and, if you’re anything like me, you’re maybe not in the best spiritual shape. Again, all the more reason to hit two-a-days hard, to proactively (purposely) put our faith through the flames, that it might come out refined…and ready.

None of us know the exact duration of ‘the games’ or when our individual camp is scheduled to conclude, so we can’t afford to procrastinate. The end of this life is coming; will we be ready to put on our long, white robe?

If you’re wondering, I am going to continue to plan and make preparations for my funeral…just not at the expense of doing so for my life (and the prize).

May God grant you grace and peace as you prepare,

Voice of another