Marathon Faith

In ancient days, before an athlete began a race, he "girded up his loins," pulling up or removing his long robe so his legs were free to run.

Peter uses this imagery in 1 Peter 1:13-16, stressing the importance of preparing our minds for spiritual "action."


When runners train for a marathon, they:

1. Eat foods that build their bodies.
2. Run regularly, building their stamina and speed.
3. Avoid situations causing injury.

When we run our spiritual race, we should:

1. "Eat" God's truth to stimulate wholesome thinking and build spiritual muscles (2 Peter 3:1-2; Hebrews 12:1).
2. Improve our prayer stamina (1 Peter 4:7).
3. Be alert to Satan's attempts to cause spiritual injury (1 Peter 5:8).

"All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step... I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should." 1 Corinthians 9:25-27

Are you training for the race?

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