Finishing the Race Well

During our recent church camp, one of our speakers concluded his talk with an illustration about running a cross country race.  He was amazed to see the lead runner, who finished before any other runner emerged onto the track, vomiting from pushing himself to the limit.  He wondered why anyone would put themselves yourself through that pain when no one was even threatening for the lead.  Then it struck him:  unlike others whose race strategy is based on beating the other racers, that man was focused on running his best race.  It was a race against the clock and against himself.

I have seen clips of runners who, rather than exerting themselves to their physical maximum, believed they were coasting to victory.  They were confident in victory as they jogged towards the finish line, smiling with arms raised over their heads in glorious triumph.  While they were drinking in the cheers of the spectators, victory slipped from their grasp when another runner sprinted past them to win.  Though I have never won a cross country race in my life, I expect it is a satisfying experience.  There are undoubtedly many reasons people run and race one another.  Some do it for exercise, others enjoy being part of a team or competing, and others are naturally good at it.

The Bible tells believers were are all running a spiritual race in Hebrews 12:1-2:  "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Rather than taking our cues from others, we ought to be like the one who ran his best race.  It would be a shame for us to slack off a good pace because we are outdistancing all others we can see.  With Jesus as our guide, our race is not a competition against other Christians.  Running well and finishing strong is not for our glory but for Christ's sake.  We run, not to win, but because Jesus has already won.

Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7-8:  "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing."  Paul finished his race and kept the faith, and praise God He strengthens us to endure.  We can keep the faith despite opposition and the weakness of our flesh because it is God who keeps us through faith unto salvation (1 Peter 1:3-5).  Rather than celebrating our progress is better than others or we have tackled the hill section of the course, it is not the time to pat ourselves on the back or accept the praise of men.  May the race of our lives be run for the glory of God as we look to Jesus continually.