Run Your Race

Running, besides being a hobby of mine, is also a comparison to the Christian life.  The Christian walk is not a jog in the park, nor a sprint, but a long marathon.  Basically, its difficult.  The hardest thing for me is to take some time off from running and then get back into running.  Sometimes its just difficult to be disciplined to run.   I think Paul knew that its not only difficult to be disciplined to run but its also difficult to maintain discipline in our spiritual journey.  Too often its easier to watch tv than to spend time in the Word.  Its also a lot easier to talk to friends or coworkers about a new movie than it is to share the gospel with them.   

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Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, " 

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."  The challenge that Paul sets here is to "run in such a way that you may win."  Run to win, live to win.  We don't need any more aimless Christians but the world needs to see disciplined disciples of Jesus who strive for a closer walk with Him each day.   The reward for spiritual discipline is imperishable, everlasting.  This reward is something WORTH striving for.  It is worth daily discipline in our personal lives. Sure, we will stumble and fall but the key is not to remain there.  We must continue.  We must press on.  We have a race to finish, a reward to claim.

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The idea of running the race appears in Hebrews but before I dig into the opening verses lets paint a picture.  Imagine competing at the summer Olympics.  The whole world has their eyes on this race.  Fans are crowded in the stands.  They admire how much hard work and discipline it has taken you to get where you are.  This is it.  The moment you have been dreaming of and training for.   Now,Hebrews 12:1-3 says, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. "  As believers, instead of having the whole world cheering you on, we have other believers, those who have finished their races, in the stands.  Imagine people like Moses, David, Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, Ruth, Thomas, Peter, James, and Elijah (and all the others I didn't mention) sitting in the stands cheering you on in your spiritual walk.  They'd be saying "keep going", "I overcame trials with God's strength and you can too", "Stay focused on the goal", "Don't give up", "Be strong", "Don't be afraid to go against popular opinion" (that would come from Josh or Caleb)... and they'd encourage you just by their presence.  All of these giants of the faith finished their races and that fact gives us hope that we too can persevere and finish strong. 

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At the end of life, when its all done, I want to be able to say this: 

2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.