Keep Your Eye On The Prize

Recently I signed up for a Beth Moore bible study class at my church.  My dear friend June facilitates the class and after teaching my own classes, I wanted to "be fed."  I have to say that I highly recommend the Daniel Bible Study for those of you considering one. 

One of the things that Beth "suggested" was that we evaluate ways that we might "defile" our bodies and she suggested that we abstain from that for a period of six weeks-the length of the first portion of the study.  I thought about the "challenge" and had a couple of things that I considered abstaining from. 

The one that kept coming to the top was.....popcorn.  You might ask "Popcorn, really?" And some of you may think that I might have been mocking the idea but give me a second to give you my reasoning.  For months I have been stuck on popcorn.  I go to a specific store [I won't mention which] to purchase two bags of popcorn every other day. 

On days I could not go, I would call my husband and ask him to pick some up on his way home.  Some days, my husband would "surprise" me and just bring it home.  I was hooked!!! We would retire to watch tv and I had to have my two bags of popcorn.  This was every day!

I had the discussion with my husband about my choice and asked him if he thought my "sacrifice" was too childish.  His response to me was "You giving up popcorn was more significant to you than if you had given up chocolate."  You see, if I had given up chocolate it would have meant nothing...I'm not a big chocolate fan. But to give up popcorn....whew-that hurt!

What I found was that through the study, I grew more than I ever thought.  In completing my first six weeks this past week, Beth Moore "gave me permission" to release myself from what I had withheld.  I went to class knowing it was the end of the six weeks and you guessed it.  I was ready to drive right out of church and go buy my bags.  What I found however, was that she gave us a stipulation.  You must do homework first!

As I was driving home, I was so ready to do my homework and I was going to do it all in one day!  One would think that I was a "dedicated, honorable, committed to the study woman!"  We would all like to think that.  Unfortunately, my only thought was popcorn.  I settled into to do my homework when I got disrupted by an emergency phone call.  Once that was taken care of, I was driving home thinking "Stop and get popcorn!"  The other side of me kept saying "Honor God-Daniel did."

As I drove, this thought came to mind "Keep your eye on the prize."  That became my mantra.  As it did, I thought of Paul and his challenge.  What happened that my prize became popcorn?  [This should be affirmation of what sacrifice this was].

I wondered what Paul would think if he knew my "prize" at this moment was popcorn?  I was so close.  I had done without for six weeks and now I was willing to sacrifice it before time.  I could wipe out the entire purpose by purchasing popcorn too soon.  I still had two days of homework to go.  I just couldn't ruin it.

I drove home and went straight to homework.  We had a busy evening and when I returned home, I had forgotten to go buy popcorn.  I was finished with homework now and I was "free to eat it."  I made my husband get dressed and we drove to buy popcorn. 

I settled in and pulled out my bag-I had purchased three.  I ate my bag with ease and enjoyed every bit of it.  Sorry but I even lifted the bag to get every crumb.

As I sat there completely full of popcorn, I realized just how much I had not missed it.  It was good don't get me wrong but somehow, the excitement, the need, the pleasure was missing.  You see, I kept saying "keep your eye on the prize" thinking that the popcorn was the prize.  I quickly discovered that the prize was the precious lesson I learned through the study.

Keep your eye on the prize of the Word of God.  What an awesome study this has been.  What awesome lessons I have learned, what awesome friendships I have cultivated, what awesome women I have met.  Yes that is the prize. 

So if you're sitting at home feeling like you're missing out, I highly recommend a ladie's bible study.  I promise you they will stretch you and grow you like you never thought.  Get up, do it and keep your eye on the prize!

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14