Imagine you are in a garden surrounded by your friends when suddenly an army comes to take you away. They ask for you by name and you say three simple words: “I am He.” Every soldier is thrown back and lands to the ground. It seems very unlikely that this would happen to you but this did happen to Jesus the night He got arrested (see John 18:1-11). The recognition of Him being God’s Son is what brought those men to their knees.
John 1:12 ~”Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”
It’s so easy to forget who I am, especially in the gym. Yesterday was a clear example. I went to Legion of Power CrossFit for my weekly visit that should have been Tuesday yet was rationalized due to rain. Usually Thursday is open gym and there is a choice between strength and endurance workouts but that was taken away when Coach Ruben took one look at us and said we’re doing strength.
Here’s the breakdown of the WOD:
30 minutes AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of:
6 reps push jerks (115 men/75 women)
10 reps wall-balls
10 Calorie assault bike
20 second L-sit
Yeah, I wanted to do none of those things. All I wanted was an easy lift day of bench press, curls, some overhead presses and maybe some legs. I submissively put enough weight on the bar for a 65 pound push jerk when Mary came over and said, “You know you can do 75.” I worked out with her before so she knew what I could do despite the fact that I forgot who I was and what I could do. I not only made it through the workout (I did struggle through a few push jerks) but I completed nine rounds!
“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a)
CrossFit does crossover into so much of my life because it reminds me that I am strong. It’s not sufficient to be strong with a load. However, the fortitude to endure challenging times lends a hand to overcoming adversity and that is who I am.
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