Running to finish the race

Apostle Paul analogizes the Christian life to a race. Race in his context was not competition against one another in the Christian family. Conversely, as I have figured, we are competing against the struggles which stand in our way of reaching the prize set before us (Phil 3:14).

Back in the day during the 1st Century, Romans celebrated the Olympic and Isthmian games. Before game day competitors would put in obnoxious amounts of work in training. The people of Corinth were quite conversant with these games therefore Paul likens them to the Christian’s life of faithfulness. Competitors in the games went under strict training so that they could get to the finish line. Unlike those medieval races which only one would emerge the winner, anyone in the Christian race can win the prize set before us.

Paul exhorts us to run in such a way as to win the prize (1 Cor 9:24). I believe there is a reason why the word ‘run’ is used. The Bible does not tell us to crawl, or walk, or stroll, or meander, but to RUN. Running is exhausting. Sometimes the runner might pick up a muscle pull, an injury after tripping over something, or simply burn out from fatigue. That is what the Christian life is.

Coasting through the Christian journey is not an option, unfortunately. It is a full-time job to stay running and keep the fire burning. You may begin the journey head-strong with just enough oil to sustain the fire for a while. However, if there is no oil in the reserve to finish the race then that would be quite problematic. Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins is a nice depiction of such a scenario (Mat 25:1-13).

Every Christian in God’s family of believers strives in his/her own race. God in His infinite wisdom enabled us to be winners in our individual races. By running to win, we must set aside all that stands in our way of living and teaching God’s Gospel of hope. The writer of Hebrews reiterates Paul’s words: “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith (Heb 12:1-2).

Where does this Christian race even begin? Where is the starting mark? God is the one who chose us, we did not choose Him: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10).

Jesus says that no one goes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6), and no one can even go to Jesus unless God draws them to Him (John 6:44). Somewhat strange. Although it simply is the Holy Spirit who draws us to Jesus who in turn gets us to the Father. “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” (Heb 3:15). Once a Christian confesses with his/her mouth and believes in his/her heart that Jesus is Lord, then the Christian journey sets off. This confession is only possible when we humbly accept the word through the Holy Spirit.

What is truly beautiful is that the Holy Spirit who sets us off on the race is still the one who carries us on until the finish line (Phil 1:6). Isn’t that magnificent? For this reason, we quite frankly are not hanging onto God during the Christian race, He’s hanging onto us. God is not going to let us get stuck in a rut during the race. If we deliberately use our Will to depend on God’s strength, He’s most definitely going to see us through till the finish line.

The Apostle Paul humbly acknowledged his dependence on God’s power during his ministerial endeavors: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Cor 15:10).

At the end of his rope he was confident while writing to Timothy how he was content to have finished his race. He fought the good fight and was ready to cross the finish line to win his prize. In the course of my life I want to have such unwavering confidence just like Paul. How about you?

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