During my junior year of high school I needed to have an operation to remove a bone spur from my right knee. My parents and I decided to have it done at the end of basketball season and at the start of track season.

After surgery I went to track practice every day and did trainer or manager duties such as filling water bottles, helped tape guys and gave rub downs on tired, sore legs. At the end of that six week period I was given a doctors release to start running again. I was able to run in two practice sessions before that Fridays track meet, where I was put in a half mile run.

That Friday I ran the best race I could. When the race was over, I did not feel good. I walked to the goal post on the football field and vomited. My lack of practice time and my running as fast as I could for two minutes caught up with my out of shape body. I was sick. I vomited several more times in the next five minutes.

Now I had been at track practice every day for the past six weeks but had not been doing the workout on any of those days. Just hanging out at practice will not keep you in shape to run the race.

Can you see a comparison between going to track practice every day and not doing the workout, and in our daily lives of not exercising with God the Father every day?

We are supposed to be working out with God the Father every day. We are to read the Bible, pray, study, meditate and be in touch every day. If we don’t spend anytime working out with God week after week, then what do you suppose will happen to us when we are put in the real race of life and must give it every thing we have?

So are you in shape from working out with God the Father or are you just hanging around and are an out of shape Christian?

1Timothy 4:8 For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.