I’ve always been amazed at how God never fails to understand our deepest needs, never fails to challenge us to live life the more excellent way, and never fails to provide for us, even when we think it impossible.
Just on Sunday, I was amazed at His providence and goodness. Did you know, He cares even about things we think too silly to think about?
So I made a commitment to myself, that since making my own money, I would not be frivolous with my spending and to recognize that my earnings belonged first and foremost to God and the poor. So yes, you can imagine the struggle I had when I realized that meant a part of me felt it was unnecessary to spend a hundred dollars on races, be they triathlons or biking events.
Sure, there’s nothing wrong with racing. It’s a healthy sport. It builds bonds among friends. It is an opportunity to reach out to people. It’s even an opportunity to learn precious life lessons. But 80 dollars or more for a race? Race after race? Unless I was certain that all those races were races God specifically told me to participate in, I had little peace about it. A few races a year would easily add up to an amount enough to go on a mission trip or a sum that could bless the poor substantially. With my work schedule being hectic and unpredictable, it could also mean signing up for a race I may not be able to attend eventually.
On Friday night, a friend facebooked me: Wai Jia, I’ve a free slot for the Trifactor 45km bike race this Sunday, want to come?
Want to come? Of course! Amazingly, Sunday was an off-day for me this week.
It was a tremendous blessing. But more than that, it showed me how God never fails to provide for us when we choose to put Him first in our lives.
A bible verse immediately leapt into my mind: “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.”- 2 Tim 4:2
All this while, even though I didn’t know if I would race again this year, swimming, biking and running have still been very much part of my daily life, and it established a baseline for my fitness level, such that even though it may not be race season, it prepared me to be ever-ready, just in case someone had a free slot to let up for me.
It made me wonder: in the same way, do we prepare ourselves to be ever-ready for God? Do our lives reflect a daily effort to prepare ourselves to love the poor, reach out to the people around us, and share His blessings? Just as how I set aside half an hour on most days of the week to train and ensure a baseline level of fitness whether I am preparing for a race or not, do we too, set aside time each day to exercise our inner spirit-man, so we can run the race for God?
I rode on Sunday and finished a 45km race without drafting behind other riders. Had it not been the previous weeks’ regular training, it would have been impossible to finish comfortably. I came in 10th place.
Because I was given the race slot, it wasn’t under my name. It challenged me to ask myself: are we willing to do our best even when we know our names won’t get the glory? Isn’t that how mission work might be in the future?
So I’m thankful, not only for His unexpected blessings when we choose to put Him first, but also, for learning the importance of being ever-ready for life’s tests, to be prepared, in and out of season.
the inspiring handcyclists who always make the sport beautiful for me.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.”
-Matthew 6:33