May 6. 1 Corinthians 9. Jay and Julie Masse

Running the Race

Imagine going to work everyday and not getting paid. Sometimes this happens when you first start up a business. You have an idea of what you want your business to look like and how it will run. You have the end goal in mind but it takes time, effort, money and workers to help you get there. I have seen stories of business owners not taking a salary until the business gets on its feet or stable so to say. Can you picture this with a joy of the end reward?

Now let's compare this to being a disciple of Christ. We get baptized and are all excited about the new family we have. We have to put in some work of studying the scriptures, building our new family by the people we meet, and drawing close to God. Paul's boast was that he still spread the gospel to receive his reward in heaven. He still worked and spread the gospel. He equated life to a race and how it takes time with training to get better. In the end only one wins. Paul tells us to run our lives in such a way as to get the prize that will last forever.

Jay Masse

Are you free? For those that live in America, the home of the free and the brave, it seems a silly question. Sadly, there are those that use the freedom and the “rights” that come with being an American citizen too freely for their personal gain. As Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 8, it’s not how much we know but how we use our knowledge that matters.

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul continues to teach on the use of knowledge, going further into rights and freedoms that come with serving God. Reading this chapter, I’m reminding of conversations I’ve had with my own children when they do something that baffles my mind. The many conversations where I’m explaining all the things I do for them, day in and day out but they seem not to notice. (Thankfully, I’m speaking more about when we were raising our grown children and not the younger boys we’re raising now.)

Paul takes the time to delve deeply into all the ways he’s shown the love of Christ to all the churches, not just the Corinthians. Reminding them of the rights he has as an apostle but didn’t use. The freedom he has in Christ but didn’t invoke. Paul reminds us he will do absolutely anything it takes to make Christ known. How many times can I say that? How many times has sin reared its head because I didn’t get recognized for a task or felt left out because sister ABC forgot to invite me to XYZ? Lord, let my reward not be here on earth but in Heaven with You!

We end with one of the most used and clung to scriptures, or maybe that’s just me. Don’t Give Up! This hits home, way too hard as I gave up. I let my freedom and my rights get in the way of my race to my God. Our amazing and compassionate God saw fit to answer my husband’s prayers to soften my hard heart. In 2014, I rededicated myself to the race, to my Lord. I want that crown that doesn’t tarnish. I want that freedom that only comes when I’m a slave to Christ. I want to be right in the eyes of my God and I refuse to listen to Satan’s lies again. My prayer is you feel the same.

This year has been hard but don’t let Satan take you out of the race! Reach out, be honest with your thoughts and your feelings now, before it’s too late. It took me five years of darkness before God softened my heart for my return to the race. I may not know who is reading this, but I can confidently say: God’s not done with you yet.

Julie Masse