The Race Before Us
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!“
(1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT)
This September, many agricultural fairs were held in Ontario. The fairs provide an opportunity for different age groups to enter competitions and win prizes. The biggest fair of all, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, is held in November. “The Royal” is over 100 years old. The main event, the Royal Horse Show, is one of the top horse shows in the world and includes more than 1,000 competitors who share $1,000,000 in prize money. The cherished prize is $250,000 along with the title of Royal Champion!
In the context of the verse for today, Paul is speaking of being disciplined enough to run the race in order to win, and how he’s running with purpose in every step.
“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1 KJV).
The word race suggests competition. We’re compared to runners in a long distance race, competing for the prize of a glorious revelation of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. We’re to forget the past and “strain” to get what’s ahead. Paul’s energy was focused on the future, not the past.
How often I’ve tried to help people who won’t let the past go. They cling to memories instead of looking forward to what’s eternal and priceless. No amount of persuasion will pull certain ones free from their yearning for things long gone. Efforts to reach into the past to reclaim what is lost is a waste of precious time.
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.“ (1 Corinthians 9:24-25 NLT)
We need to let go of what we’ve lost in the past so we can be free to reach for eternal things. Of course, the truly great treasure to take hold of is Christ Himself. Let’s be like Paul, who was willing to let go of any temporary thing in order to take hold of what is eternal. Christ is the only Prize worth winning.
We corrupt the race towards eternity when we compete with one another for success, prosperity and acclaim. Christ becomes nothing more than the sponsor, since all the runners claim to be competing in his name.
“We are to run our race “looking unto Jesus.” We are to run, depending on Him for salvation, renouncing all trust in our own poor frail exertions, and counting our own performances no better than filthy rags, and resting wholly and entirely, simply and completely, upon that perfect righteousness which He worked out for us upon the cross.“ J.C. Ryle