Mar 29 - "The Prize"

1 Corinthians 9:19-27
"Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified."
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I never knew Saint Paul was a runner. Although I had seen these verses before, I'm not sure I ever attributed them to Paul. But now I love him all the more, knowing that he shared the desire set a plan and push himself each day to new levels of achievement. I wonder what kind of shoes he wore?

A few years ago, before I became I runner, I had committed to myself to pray the Daily Office each day for one year. The Daily office is a set of prayers and scripture laid out in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. But, this form of prayer is not limited to the Anglican tradition. It, of course, draws its form or runs in line with both the Judaic and even Islamic traditions of multiple prayers on a daily basis. As you may remember, the scripture reflected upon in these writings each day comes from either the Morning Prayer or Evening Prayer for that day. These daily times of prayer were a hard thing to get used to. Getting up each morning and starting with prayer...remembering to end each day with prayer in the evening. Sometimes, even praying Compline...a peaceful set of prayers intended to be said right before bed to ensure peaceful rest.

This cycle of prayer, at the time, represented for me a way to become more familiar with Holy Scripture as well as spend time in communion with God each day. I will admit that at this point in my Walk, I thought it was one thing I could do to help me obtain my salvation. I thought of it as a way to show piety and discipline to God. I believed that praying each day in this way would help God realize I was worthy to be a member of His eternal kingdom someday. This was the Prize I desired. Little did I know, I already had the salvation I sought. But, God drew me to this discipline nonetheless, for another Prize was in my reach, even though it was not the one I thought I was working to obtain.

For runners who have a deep and true love of running, the time we achieve at a particular race is not the goal. Our true measure of a successful race is our PR (Personal Record). Yes...a top 10 finish in your age group is some sweet icing on the race cake, but it's really all about finding out how hard you can push yourself, how you are able, through discipline, to take your body and you mind to new places which had not been possible before committing to the discipline of training.

Then, when Paul speaks of the Prize and about winning the race, is he not referencing the Prize of an eternal life with God in Heaven? If not for a first place ribbon, a gold medal, eternal salvation...what is all of this for? I believe discipline, this act of purposefully replacing one thing for another, something for nothing, is the Prize itself. Pick your analogy..."it's the journey, not the destination...", "virtue is its own reward."

So, in what thing will you have discipline? What is the small thing, the one item that by following its regimen each day (or hour, or week, or month) will allow you to obtain the Prize? Recognize that the act of discipline itself is a wonderful prize. But most importantly, what is the Prize you seek? Look around you...it may already be in your possession.