Run the Race

Our focus is on the prize of Heaven. When we focus on that prize, we will be able by the Power of the Holy Spirit to not only to finish the race but finish it strongly.

Source: Alex Becker

I recently read a passage in a Max Lucado daily devotion book and it really spoke to me and blessed me, so I would like to share the blessing with you all. The passage is entitled ‘Run the race’. Hebrews 12:1 ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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’.

Agon (Classical Greek) is an ancient Greek term for a struggle or contest. This could be a contest in athletics, in chariot or horse racing, or in music or literature at a public festival in ancient Greece. Agon is the word-forming element in 'agony', explaining the concept of agon(y). ‘The Christian race is not a jog but rather a demanding and gruelling, sometime agonising race and it takes a massive effort to finish strongly. You may have noticed that many don’t finish strongly and surely you would also have noticed there are many who are on the side of the race track. These represent people who used to be in the race, running and keeping pace however something happened which resulted in weariness setting in. They did not think the race would be as tough, they experienced the agony of the race. By contrast Jesus’s best work was His final work and His strongest step was His last step. Jesus is our Master who is the classic example of one who endured…… He could have quit the race, but he didn’t’ (Taken from Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado).

The above passage reminded me of my PE lessons many years ago. In the lesson, we would take part in long distant running in freezing cold weather conditions and it was painful. For some strange reason, I never managed to learn the art of ‘pacing myself’. I would always start the race by sprinting and by the end of the first lap I was out of breath, but there would still be seven laps to go!!! By the final lap, I was exhausted. The final lap was always so painful, my legs would be hurting, I would have a stitch in my side and my lungs would be burning with the inhalation of the freezing cold air. However, giving up was never an option. The brutal PE teachers standing on the side-lines would demand I finish and so I did.

Source: By Shine Design

Like the passage says, the Christian Journey can be like those agonising long distant runs and the PE teachers (God’s angels) are stationed on the side-lines by God’s instruction to encourage us to keep going. The absolute crucial thing is to keep in the race no matter what the cost. Finishing the race is a matter of life ‘in all eternity’ (John 3:16) or death ‘in the furnace of fire’ (Matthew 13:42). Our focus is on the prize of Heaven. When we focus on that prize, we will be able by the Power of the Holy Spirit to not only to finish the race but finish it strongly. Then how wonderful it will be when we lay our victor’s crown before the thrown saying; Revelation 4:10 ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power’.

God makes it very clear in the Bible, the living Word of God, that to follow Jesus will require a sacrifice of self. We must die to the carnal self so that Christ can live in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us repeatedly that we will be hated and persecuted for Jesus’ namesake; (Mark 13:13, Matthew 10:22, Luke 21:17, Hebrews 11:25, 1 Peter 2:20, Matthew 5:11).

Let's finish this blog where we started with the words from the above passage; ‘The Christian race is not a jog but rather a demanding and gruelling, sometime agonising race. It takes massive effort to finish strongly’. God help us in the name of Jesus and by the Power of the Holy Spirit to understand the brutal race we are running in. Holy Spirit please help us to prepare daily so we can stay in the race and finish it strongly; 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 ‘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. Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize’.

All for God’s Glory. Amen.

Author: Anonymous

May God bless and enrich your life   

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