The way we live our lives is compared to a runner in a race.  There is only one who wins the prize, and we are told to run that we may obtain.  Winning a race requires determination, diligence, and discipline.  The Christian life takes hard work, preparation, and self-denial.  We can run with vigor if we are faithful in prayer, Bible study, and worship.  We cannot just observe others from the grandstands or spiritually jog a few laps each day, we must train with diligence each day and make haste to be about the Father's business.  Each day brings us closer to the  Day of the Lord.

In the races of Bible days, those who ran received a crown or prize, which was a wreath of earthly flowers which would soon perish and fade away.  Our prize is life eternal with our 'Rose of Sharon' and 'Lily of the Valley', who is, was, and evermore shall be.  Our
crown of righteousness is because of what He did, and the one who makes us the righteousness of God in and through Christ.  Our prize is incorruptible and awaits the child of God who endures in the race until the end.  It is only found beneath the cross of Jesus as we look to his finished work.

The runners in earthly race all lay aside the weights that would hinder them or cause them to slow down.  In the Christian walk, the problems which we do not give to Jesus are like weights to a runner.  We must cast off every weight and look to Jesus.  We can go forth in the power and strength of his might if we lay aside everything that would hold us back and look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our salvation.

 

 
We are not runners in life's race just for the exercise, we run that we might press forward as we grow in grace.  We press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3: 14).  As Christians, we are to walk by the same rule, and mind the same things as instructed in God's Word.  We have the examples of those who endured and finished life's course to receive heaven as their reward. Our conversation or lifestyle is to be from heaven, as that is the location of our heavenly citizenship.  We must sacrifice or give up what we want, and do what God wants.  Self discipline is the attitude of a winner who obeys their trainer.  We must obey the Lord as he tells us how to stay in the race, run and not be weary, walk and faint not.  We must not run ahead of the Lord, but wait upon Him, as he goes before us.

 

When an earthly runner falls, they get back up and try to continue the race.   Paul the Apostle had to go forward and forget the past.  He had been there when Stephen was stoned and did not recognize the Lord as God at that time.   After his encounter with the Lord on the Damascus road, he got up to newness of life, leaving the past  behind and obeying the words of the Lord.

 

We are also to forget past failures and press on as we continue in our spiritual race and know if we are in the "one body" of Christ," we will be a part of the one Bride of Christ.  This is the one who receives a crown of life, as joined to the Lord.  We can know that we are forgiven and then move on to a life of faith and obedience.

 

May we press forward each day as runners in life's race.   Heaven will surely be worth it all as well as every blessing and benefit our Lord gives us now while in this earthly race.

Blessings in Christ,

Jo Ann Kelly (c) 2002

Free JavaScripts provided
by The JavaScript Source