FCA ResourcesDevotional
Five Minutes
By Dan Britton
Ready
“More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ.” -- Philippians 3:8
Set
As the Competitor’s Creed states, your desire as an athlete is to “compete for the pleasure of (your) Heavenly Father, the honor of Christ and the reputation of the Holy Spirit.” That is truly competing with a spiritual focus, not a physical focus.
On July 25, 2003, Andrii Serdinov, a Ukrainian swimmer, experienced five brief minutes of glory when he achieved his lifelong goal of setting a world record in the 100-meter butterfly. His joy, however, was short-lived, and his time in the spotlight disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived. Five minutes later, 18-year-old U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps broke Serdinov’s world record. It happened so fast that Serdinov could not even finish one interview about his incredible accomplishment.
Fame is like the wealth described in Proverbs 23:5: “As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears...” The glory that is of this world will never last; it will all be destroyed. The only thing that lasts is God’s kingdom.
As athletes, we strive to be the best, but we cannot hold on to our accomplishments. We must offer them to the Lord to be used for His glory. Seek first the kingdom of God, and if He blesses you with five minutes of glory, make sure that you offer it back to Him.
Go
- Why is it so hard to focus on the eternal things and so easy to focus on the things that are temporary?
- In what ways can you glorify God in your successes, or failures, as you compete?
Overtime
“Lord, please forgive me for getting awards and records for my own gain. I want to be a surrendered athlete, not a selfish one. Amen.”
Group