September 29, 2014 - Win Each Day!

Last week I wrote with a very simple question, “What is important to you?” The reality is that everyone will state that winning is important to them… (I know, I know, I know... winning isn’t everything… what matters is how you play the game… yadda, yadda, yadda… the truth is we want to be successful!)

Yet I have often used a quote over the years of doing these devotions: “Everyone has the will to win, but few have the will to prepare to win.” (Bob Knight)

So this week let’s go beyond the question of “what is important to you” to “what are you gonna do about it?” I grow very weary of hearing the word tomorrow! There is no such day! You only have today!

 I ask athletes that train with us what their goals are. They always talk of championships, scholarships, pro ball, etc. I try to make it clear to them that the athletes that I have dealt with that arrived at those levels all have something in common: They took care of today!

They all have stories of commitment to their workouts and an unwavering drive “win each day.” This includes making every day in the weight room productive. It includes making each practice productive. It includes making victory the goal of every play in every scrimmage. It is truly picture of one’s dreams driving one’s day!

Spiritually speaking, I know that every believer that reads these devotions will probably state that honoring/serving God is important to them. Each will probably say that he/she has great expectations of doing great things for God. The young ones will talk of when they are adults. The adults will talk of when they are more financially secure or when they retire. All seem to have great plans for tomorrow… but the reality is most don’t have a life driven to “win each day!”

James is very clear in chapter 4 that “life is a vapor” and that we need to take care of the here and now. It doesn’t say it is wrong to have plans for the future but that we should keep them in perspective and focus on the present tense commands for today. He goes as far as stating that when we know the right thing to do it and don’t do it (present tense action required) that it is sin.

In Peter’s first epistle in chapter 5 he warns us to be “sober and vigilant”; these are terms that carry the idea of dealing with the here and now… “win each day (moment)”!

My question of “what are you gonna do about it?” is really focused on you (and me) taking a good look at ourselves in the mirror each day and asking ourselves if our dreams/desires of serving the Lord are driving our day?” I think this is what Paul was talking about when he stated that our daily “walk should be worthy.”