August 18, 2004
PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 6:57 am
Eyes On The Goal
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"
Philippians 3:14
There are so many things that can distract us and block our view of our true goal in life, glorifying Jesus.
Florence Chadwick learned the importance of keeping a goal in mind on July 4, 1952. She waded into the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island and began swimming toward the California coast 26 miles away. The day was cold and her attendants drove off sharks throughout the journey.
Florence had already swum the English Channel twice and, if she could finish today, she would be the first woman to have swum both. But after 15 hours in the water, for the first and only time in her long-distance swimming career, she gave up and climbed into the escort boat. Others had urged her on, but in the fog they could not tell her how near she was to the coast. She later learned that she was less than a half mile from shore.
When asked by a reporter why she gave up, Florence replied:
"It was the fog. If I could have seen land, I could have finished. But when you can't see your goal, you lose all sense of progress and you begin to give up."
On a warm, sunny day two months later Florence Chadwick swam the Catalina Channel, handily beating the men's record. Only when she kept her eyes on her goal did she eventually arrive there.
Keeping that goal constantly in sight will get you where you want to go.
Prayer: Ask God to help you clear away anything that would block your view of Jesus.
"Make your life a mission-not an intermission." ~Arnold H. Glasgow
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"
Philippians 3:14
There are so many things that can distract us and block our view of our true goal in life, glorifying Jesus.
Florence Chadwick learned the importance of keeping a goal in mind on July 4, 1952. She waded into the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island and began swimming toward the California coast 26 miles away. The day was cold and her attendants drove off sharks throughout the journey.
Florence had already swum the English Channel twice and, if she could finish today, she would be the first woman to have swum both. But after 15 hours in the water, for the first and only time in her long-distance swimming career, she gave up and climbed into the escort boat. Others had urged her on, but in the fog they could not tell her how near she was to the coast. She later learned that she was less than a half mile from shore.
When asked by a reporter why she gave up, Florence replied:
"It was the fog. If I could have seen land, I could have finished. But when you can't see your goal, you lose all sense of progress and you begin to give up."
On a warm, sunny day two months later Florence Chadwick swam the Catalina Channel, handily beating the men's record. Only when she kept her eyes on her goal did she eventually arrive there.
Keeping that goal constantly in sight will get you where you want to go.
Prayer: Ask God to help you clear away anything that would block your view of Jesus.
"Make your life a mission-not an intermission." ~Arnold H. Glasgow