Every day

This week I am borrowing some devotional thoughts from another writer named Greg Allen.

Allen is a worship leader in Louisville, Ky. He writes, "I saw the slogan of the United States Olympic team: 'It's not every four years, it's every day.' I love that. And I believe it too. I marvel at the achievements of dedicated athletes -- running, lifting, jumping and soaring higher than any other humans in history. Then I am humbled when I learn their victories were not borne overnight. A runner runs ... every day. A skater skates early, long and hard ... every day. A swimmer eats only what is healthy for the body ... every day. A gymnast tumbles and flips ... every day. That two minutes of reward standing on the Olympic medal block while listening to the national anthem comes at the end of four or many more years of consistent, dedicated hard work ... every day."

And so it is with believers in Christ. Galatians 2:20 tells us, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."

Jesus taught in Luke 9:23, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Allen continues, "We are to live by faith every day, not just on Sunday. We should marvel at the achievement of Jesus on the cross every day. We should be humbled every day that He consistently loved the unlovely, touched the untouchable and did for us what we couldn't do for ourselves -- forgive our sin.

"Every day we have the privilege of praising Jesus, who received stripes instead of a medal. We worship Him for taking our punishment on Himself. We are called to live for Christ ... every day!"

I found these words of encouragement and calling to be something for me to keep in my thoughts every single day. It is very easy to allow the selfish part of me to rise up and forget that I am no longer my own, but I belong to my Lord and Savior. As that old hymn says, "I am His and He is mine."

We must remember that taking up our cross daily also means daily blessings as we walk with our Lord in obedience.

In closing, I want to share the words to a hymn that shares these truths. "Day by day and with each passing moment, Strength I find to meet my trials here; Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment, I've no cause for worry or for fear. He whose heart is kind beyond all measure, gives unto each day what He deems best. Lovingly, it's part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest. Every day the Lord Himself is near me with a special mercy for each hour; All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me, He whose name is Counselor and Power. The protection of His child and treasure is a charge that on Himself He laid; 'As your days, your strength shall be in measure,' This the pledge to me He made." ("Day by Day" by Caroline V. Sandell-Berg)

Every day may you seek His face, seek His peace, request His guidance and walk in His ways. Every single day ...

Pray hard and keep the faith.

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Metcalf is pastor of Forest Hills Church, an American Baptist congregation. Email her at [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column don't necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper.