Following Jesus: Moment or Marathon?

Kory Markel is currently on our nine-month, college-age trip, Passport Immersion. Kory and his team are wrapping up month six after spending three months each in Nicaragua and the Philippines. Next, they're heading to Kenya for their final three months of their Passport journey. 

Do you remember the instant you decided to follow Jesus?

Often times we think of the decision to follow Jesus as a turning point in our lives. Whether it was a moment on a Thursday night at summer camp, a hand raised in church or praying the sinners' prayer, there is an initial decision we make to follow the Lord, but this is not a decision we make once. 

 
Following Christ is a decision that must be made on a daily basis.

In this way, the moment we accept Jesus into our life is not a U-turn, but the gunshot start of a marathon. We know where the finish line is, and in the Bible we are given instructions on how to run, but we must actively make the decision to keep running the race at every moment.

When has been the hardest time for you to keep going?

When you were up late Saturday night and you don't want to go drag yourself to church?
When you are pouring your heart into a ministry that you are not seeing any fruit from?
When struggles you thought you had overcome resurface for the tenth time?

It is in these very moments we must consciously choose: 

the Spirit from God instead of the world (1 Cor. 2:12),
God's grace instead of the enemy's guilt (Titus 2:11-12),
and to enable His Spirit to work in our hearts (Col. 1:29). 

We must choose to keep running the race.
To allow the gospel to saturate our lives daily.

Our perseverance will not be overlooked (Romans 5:3-5) and sacrifices will not be made in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).

And the prize at the finish line is greater than anything we could possibly imagine (1 John 5:13).

So keep running. You can go farther than you think you can.

Kory Markel finishing the Cebu City Marathon, 21st overall.

"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. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat 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 9:25-27 (NIV)

Are you in?