Wednesday, July 23, 2008

SWEATIN’ TO THE OLDIES

2 Corinthians 4: 7 – 18

How many people do you know that are workout freaks? You know the ones I’m talking about, there are people who run, ride bikes, lift weights, and take aerobic classes all before breakfast. What does it get them? Does it guarantee eternal life? No matter what we do, we will always get old, our bodies will deteriorate, and we will die.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against physical fitness, in fact, I’m in favor of it. It can and does make us feel physically better, and my Dr. tells me it’s better for us than taking medication for what ails us. All I’m saying is that it gains us nothing. Our bodies will always betray us with increasing pain, loss of stamina, and poor eyesight, among other things, it’s just a long down hill slide to the grave.
But, and it is a big but (No pun intended), as we decrease physically, we can increase spiritually. How’s that for good news?

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

That means the more we workout our spiritual selves, the stronger we get day by day, no matter what happens to this shell we call a body. We may use the body to experience the world, and that’s cool. I love to travel around and take pictures, meet people and eat at diners or a Cracker Barrel, but our spirit prepares us for eternal life with Jesus.

Many of us fear aging with all the trouble it brings. But when we are gradually stripped of everything that props us up, whether wealth, independence, health, dignity, beauty, or all of the above, we are left with more and more of God. So no matter how old you are, it’s not too late to dig deep into God’s Word and invest more and more time in your spiritual well-being. You’ll see the payoffs, now and later. The older you get, the better you can become!

Let’s try sweatin’ to the Ancient of Days.

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