Running the Race

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)

I wonder whether the TV has been on more than usual in your house recently? I know it has been, at our place. I wonder whether you have spent some late nights or early mornings watching your favourite Olympic event? The ‘couch coaches’ among us offer their assessments of a dive, a triple jump or a race; the commentators remember their own Olympic moments; and the post-race interviews catch competitors at their raw, adrenaline-fuelled best, whether in victory or defeat. Coaches are thanked, parents and partners are acknowledged, and tears are shed.

As a spectator, there is joy in watching a perfectly-executed high jump, swimmers speeding through the water, or the fierce competition of a running race. What is largely unseen, and can only be imagined, are the hours and hours of preparation, coaching and training behind each performance. We can only guess how many trips have been made to the local pool or athletics track; how much time has been spent in the gym or on the playing field; and correspondingly how many parties, events and holidays have been missed by those who had other goals in mind. For competitors, achieving goals comes at a cost, demanding focus, attention and sacrifice.

The same principle applies to life. As Christ-followers, we believe that our lives here on earth are just a shadow of what is to come. It is easy to be distracted and to lose sight of our eternal focus in the minutiae of daily life. Perhaps this very human tendency explains why the author of Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to ‘run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.’ In the same way that athletes and swimmers need a coach to keep them on track, we need Jesus and we need one another.

Laurel-leaf crowns, satin ribbons, and even gold medals do not last forever, but the crown of eternal life offered by Jesus Christ does. Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, and run life’s race with Him.