Not some afternoon field day.

 Ephesians 6:11 (MSG) And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a few hours. This is for keeps, a life-and-death fight against the Devil and all his angels.

As an older believer, I think the above field-day imagery is how I think about life with God. I've made it to the event, I can still compete, or rather, hang out in the stands, but I'm not in it to win it or even be competitive. If my kids weren't there... there would be more of a "for keeps" mentality. There are certain struggles that yes, I have to stay "in shape" enough to keep out of trouble, but I'm there with a spectators attitude... and there are times, certain events that get me out of my seat and more engaged, and then I sit back down again...

Yesterday I was pondering the difference between being made new vs being repaired. In the stands or on the field to win: repaired vs. made new...