Bishop Wills' Life Journal Entry for March 24, 2008 based on I Corinthians 9: 26-27, "I Can't Share What I Do Not Have"

S: I Corinthians 9:26-27 (The Message)
I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me I’m staying alert and in top condition.

O: In this chapter Paul has been answering his critics. But now he says there is something more important. There is a race to run and we all need to be in it. We are going somewhere together, and this requires all our attention and all our energy. We are not spectators watching what other people do and commenting on it: we are runners. And if we are running this race we have to be in good condition and train. And…..if running a race, you don’t have breath to comment on the other runners.

A: As a Bishop, I visit a lot of churches. It is so easy for me to come into a church and begin to comment to myself on a lot of what I see. Are the ushers friendly? Is this a community of people I would enjoy being around? Is the right ritual followed? If I am not preaching, I wonder if the minister is prepared. Does he or she read his or her sermon? Is the message interesting to me?

In fact, I can get so caught up in commenting to myself about so many things, I miss entirely the experience of worshipping God!

I must realize this community of faith is there and I am part of that community because we are in a race together with a goal. I must come to worship my Lord. This also means I can’t show up to worship once a week and think my faith is fulfilled. No, I have to be in Scripture every day. I have to learn where my “rough edges” are and ask the Lord to help me be more obedient to God’s Will.

For me, my time in scripture and my time of prayer each day is my training. I want to be part of the race when I come to worship God each week. After all, I cannot share what I do not have.

P: Father thank you for this day with Scripture and this time to talk with you. I lay my life before you this morning. I seek only to train in such a way I can join my brothers and sisters in running the race. Love, Dick

Y: I give up my tendency to not do this needed daily training to run the race.