I hit forty in 2000 decidedly unfit and just slightly overweight – a typically middle aged man story. So I did the couch potato to 5k programme – a simple plan to get you from walking to jogging 5k in 6 weeks. Before that I had always felt “fun run” was an oxymoron. As I progressed from walking to jogging I was hooked. I lost weight, had more energy and then made friends joining in the weekly parkrun in the Walks on Saturday mornings. Physical training is of value.
The apostle Paul wrote that last sentence in a letter to his young trainee Timothy. He followed it with “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also the life to come.” Godliness is worth having as it has longer lasting effects than keeping fit. So how do we get godliness? Certainly not by working hard or doing good deeds. It’s a free gift because of Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection for us. We’ve all broken laws in some way or other, felt shame for the way we have behaved, feared consequences of our actions or felt dirty through what we have done or had done to us. Jesus took the punishment, restores us to a place of honour with God, takes away fear and cleanses us on the inside.
Please get fit so you can live longer. But more importantly, accept God’s gift of godliness, which lasts forever.
Andy Moyle
The Gateway Church