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The Great Race
The Great Race
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).
I venture to say that in our younger days, most if not all of us, ran may foot races. Sometimes we ran to win some kind of medal or trophy; sometimes we ran just for the sheer thrill of winning. I also venture to say that today for many of us, if you see us running it will be because something is after us and we are running for our life. Yet, there is a race that all of us as children of God are running. We run this race, not for some kind of physical medal or trophy, but for the crown of righteousness Paul speaks about in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 --(Philippians 3:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12).
I wonder, are you running this race like you really want to win it? Should you cross the finish line right now, this very moment, would that crown of righteousness be yours? The writer of Hebrews tells us that we must lay aside every encumbrance and sin that entangles and run with endurance this race. My friends, we must not be caught off guard. It will take work, commitment and fortitude to stay the course.
Lest we grow weary, our eyes must be fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2-3). The course we run will be filled with burdens, trials, temptations, failures and disappointments. The devil is an expert at using all these in his effort to devour us (1 Peter 5:8-9). If we run this race like we really want to win it, we must always be seeking to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:17-18). If we run as hard as we can, giving ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2, discipling ourself (Acts 9:27, Matthew 16:24-26) ever striving each day to add to our faith moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness brotherly kindness and love (2 Peter 1:5-7), we will win and the devil loses. On the other hand, if we run half-heartedly, if we don’t give it all we have, if we let trials, disappointments, failures, and temptations control us, then the devil wins and we lose.
Each of us must run our own race. I cannot run for you and you cannot run for me. We are not in competition with each other. We do not know when we will reach the finish line, whether it will happen before this day ends or if it will be months, even years from now but without a doubt in our mind, we know it lies somewhere in front of us (Hebrews 9:27).
Due to the uncertainty of when we will finish our race, my prayer on this day is that each one of us will diligently strive to run our race so that we can say, “The time of my departure is at hand, I am ready” (2 Timothy 4:6-8), I leave you with this question, are you running the race like you really want to win it?
Charles Hicks, Gallatin Tennessee
