READY
“My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples. As the father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” – John 15:8-11
SET
During preseason, my college basketball team had a 10,000-makes rule. To be able to shoot threes in a game, you had to make 10,000 threes outside of practice throughout the preseason. Of course, everyone wanted to be able to shoot threes. So, in the months leading up to our first game we all spent a ton of time in the gym. You could even say we lived in the gym.
When those first few games rolled around it was no surprise that our team always had a really high three-point percentage. We spent countless hours in the gym. It made sense. But as the season progressed our team’s shooting percentage often regressed. Why? Because once people hit their 10,000 makes, they stopped going to the gym to shoot.
A relationship with Christ works the exact same way. Nobody accidentally gets really good at their sport. It requires spending countless hours in the gym, weight room, or on the field. As athletes, we know this. What we so often forget is that nobody accidentally gets a strong relationship with Christ either. It requires the same amount of dedication and discipline that your sport does.
The word used time and time again in John 15 is remain. Remaining in Christ means to have a continuous connection with Christ. This requires actively putting in the work to sit and dwell in the presence of God. This might mean setting your alarm a little earlier to spend time in prayer before you start your day. Perhaps it looks like spending less time on social media and more time reading God’s word. Either way, it requires work.
As our season progressed, it was evident which athletes continued to spend time in the gym outside of practice and which ones didn’t. The fruit of their hard work was always evident. Remaining in Christ produces similar fruit. Make sure you are remaining in the presence of God.
GO
As an athlete, what areas of your life are you disciplined in?
In your walk with Christ, what areas do you need to be more disciplined in?
Have you been actively or passively pursuing a relationship with Christ?
WORKOUT
OVERTIME
“Lord, help me to always pursue you and never grow tired of chasing after you. Help me to make my relationship with you a priority in my schedule every single day. Help me to remain in you always. In Jesus’ name, amen.”