Living the Christian Life like Eliud Kipchoge runs the Marathon

Discussion in Sunday School class was dominated by the results of the Berlin Marathon. What if we determined to live the Christian Life with the effort that Eliud Kipchoge runs the marathon? What would we need to be successful?

Here is the goal of Christian Living:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:30-31


Here is the results of our discussion:

  • Be in constant prayer for direction and purpose so that you can be in as close of contact with God as possible. Allow the Holy Spirit to be your guide.
  • Surround yourself with others with the same goal. May include distancing yourself with those who lead you the opposite direction.
  • Be forgiving – The art of wisdom is knowing what to overlook.
  • Take our thoughts and actions captive. Keep a steady focus on the prize.
  • Do not let your circumstances define success. (Running on a dirt track has its advantages)
  • Start your day with the goal and mission in mind.
  • Give it your all. You don’t win with half efforts.
  • Use your time wisely even with a sense of urgency.
  • Hang on and don’t quit even when you’re the 25th runner in a pack of 25.
  • Stay in your lane. You are running your race not anyone else’s.
  • Be aware where you need to improve and seek to accomplish it.
  • Encourage others and be an example. Even when no one else shows up to the track you are there.
  • Love what you do.
  • Fuel the fire. Worship, read, listen and learn on a constant basis.
  • Everyone needs recovery and refocus time. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. A scheduled daily refocus a.k.a. tea time is a likewise wonderful idea.

If you need a verse to backup this train of thought:
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. 25 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.26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 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. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

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