Saturday, January 29

Today I rode over 30 miles on my trainer in the garage. Nothing seems to be more boring, tedious and monotonous, but essential to conditioning for a cross country ride in lieu of being able to get outside. I find that those physical disciplines in many ways parallel the spiritual disciplines needed to condition a life that really works. The routines of prayer, Bible reading, and solitude (to name a few) are not glitzy, glamorous, or attractive practices to the average Christian. But to the one who is devoted to these routines for the sake of getting to know his creator better, they are precious tools. It reminded me of Hebrews 12:11 when, in college days, I was confronted with the reality that spiritual maturity does not come cheap. "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness" NASB. I am old enough now to have experienced the truth of this passage. The peaceful fruit of righteousness is worth the discipline.