1 Corinthians 9:25 Athletes exercise self-control in all things to receive a perishable wreath, but we receive an imperishable one.
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul seems so contemporary in this writing. As I write this I’m watching the emergence of Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens win an upset over the New England Patriots. After 17 years of incredible self-control, he has a chance to win a Super Bowl ring. And yet, even if he wins it, it will probably end up in a jewelry box and worn very rarely. A lifetime of self-control to win a perishable wreath.
And so it is with all of us today, just it was in Paul’s age. We all strive to win our perishable wreaths. I’m currently in the process of “downsizing” after an incredible life of achieving many perishable wreaths. What a cleansing process it has been. I’ve had to make many decisions in what wreaths to keep and which ones to discard. It’s amazing how little those perishable wreaths meant to me. The one decision I made was not to move away from All Saints, for it reminds me to exercise self-control to achieve my imperishable wreath.
This is my prayer for the day: “Dear Lord. Remind us to exercise self-control so we may all receive your promise of an imperishable wreath in the life ever after.”
P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day I hope you experience an extra dose of love today
George Buerger
Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar. We will see you in worship for the First Sunday in Lent at 8:30 and 11. The Adult Forum this week kicks back into gear with a special conversation about the Pope and his resignation from a Lutheran perspective: during Education Hour at 9:45
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