Anchor Devotional
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The Victor’s Crown
“Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31
The metaphor of sports gives us several ways to think about our journey with the Lord. Clearly, the Apostle Paul liked making references to physical fitness in teaching about the good news of Jesus Christ. But the metaphor breaks down in the end for us because of one thing: grace.
In the world of sports and competition as we know it, the goal is to win, to beat the opponent. In the Christian’s “game of life,” it’s as if Jesus not only won for us, but He also carried us across the finish line. Where the earthly sports figure succeeds by skill, talent, and endurance, the player on God’s team wins by grace.
Have you ever watched in real life or seen a video replay of a sports figure giving up his or her win to help a competitor cross the finish line? That act of surrendering something for another is breathtaking. It tugs at our hearts because it’s a small human glimpse of the most wondrous time One who was greater by far than all gave up His glory for sinners like you and me. Jesus did that so we might wear the victor’s crown.
By no effort of our own are we guaranteed a place of honor for all eternity. That comes to us by grace alone, the most beautiful trophy a believer has.
SCRIPTURE FOCUS
2 Chronicles 15-16
INSIGHT
Psalm 15
THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Matthew 22
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