The Ultimate Athlete

As athletes we understand the journey we embark upon. To train to be the best in our sport, we need to always be disciplined and focused.  The process has long hours of training and proper nutrition to fuel the demands of the sport we will compete in. Many times we will feel pain emotionally, mentally, and physically.  Our goal is the win and many times we lose.  The process of competing can leave our cup full or half empty. And we get up each day and do it over again one more time until we are done.

It is simply an amazing thought to me when I consider how Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior was challenged to become conditioned as the ultimate athlete to compete in the most important contest ever won. John 3:16, “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who so ever believed within Him shall not perish, but have life everlasting. The contest Jesus competed in has changed the world and He was in training before He was even born.

Is it a bold thought to call Jesus an athlete? The definition of an athlete is a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, coordination, stamina, or strength.

Jesus was an athlete.

How did Jesus prepare himself for the competition He was born to compete in? How did He get fit, strong, and ready for the ultimate competition that has changed all of our lives?

The human body needs calories for fuel and repair. We need to look at the function of the types of foods we need which include proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Incredibly our bodies have 600 muscles to hold us up and move us.  Proteins are used for building, maintaining, and repairing muscles, skin, and blood. Proteins are rarely used for energy. Protein sources are eggs, meats, beans, and grains.

Fats are stored in the body and around the internal organs. The human body can have between 50-200 million fat cells. Fat tissue consists of fat cells. Good fats such as nuts, olive oil, avocados trump the saturated choices of cheese, butter, and hydrogenated fat.

Now for the famous carbohydrate, which provides 90% of our energy needs. A carbohydrate comes in two choices. A simple carbohydrate would be fruit; crackers, cakes, rice or complex carbohydrates would include oatmeal, brown rice, and vegetables.

It is our job to understand how to fuel our body with the correct carbohydrate to achieve the desired results.

Finally the million dollars drink…Water!  Water comprises about 70% of our body and needs constant replenishment. Daily we loose about 10 cups a day.

All of the above information and facts were true in the book of Genesis, at the time of Jesus, and true today!

Jesus knew what His purpose was and He was in constant preparation. He had 30 years to be in peak condition. He needed the correct food, hydration, and rest. He needed the focus and mental toughness. He needed to be emotionally ready.

He needed endurance for the long ordeal lasted days. The final day was 6 hours nonstop. The cross he carried weighed a heavy 110 pounds.  The 650-yard path he traveled was rugged with stones and had a steady incline. He was beaten bloody by whips of leather and spikes and wore a crown of thorns on His head.

His last supper was nourishment for His body. He did not skip a meal. He chose the best food to fuel His body for the competition He was entered to compete in.

He prayed in the Garden of Olives so hard He sweat blood. It was a benefit that He was hydrated because He was not to drink again.

He prayed and slept………….He was fully prepared and engaged for this competition was to be won by only the strong and well conditioned.

Jesus was not just an athlete. He was the best athlete for all of time.

The competition Jesus won had no medals or trophies. Jesus won the competition over sin.

If God said to you fellow athletes in the next 5 minutes, “ I need you to grab a 110 pound cross and carry it on your shoulders to the top of a steep hill and hang there until your dead to save all of the future people that you will never know. Are you ready?  You will not eat or drink for 3 days and you will be beaten, sweating and bleeding profusely. The hard reality is…………….

Are you conditioned to carry His cross?

Are you ready for the greatest competition of your life?

Jacqueline Larsen

Please take the time to see more about Jackie and her many accomplishments.

www.Fitnessology.com

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