Finish the race …

This past weekend we had the honor of going to Washington, D.C. to watch the Marine Corp. Marathon.  My son, Brandon was running the marathon for a second time, first time was with the Navy, but this time was for the Susan Komen Marathon for the Cure, in honor of his mother, JoAnn who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2005.

I say honor because it is an honor to watch these runners undertake the grueling distance of 26.2 miles. All with different motives and reasons; some run for purely personal reasons, some to make a statement and some run to support a cause.

All of our military branches are represented along with many charities like the Susan Komen Race for the Cure, the Run for Life and many others.

Then there are those courageous folks that are not about to let a disability stop them for participating, there were the bikes for the paraplegics, there were blind runners running with a partner, what an inspiring sight!  God had to look down on these people and say I’m well pleased with you!

This leads me into my post for this week, finish the race….

I would expand that a little… keep your eyes on the Lord and finish the race!

Let’s look at a few scripture verses.  The first from Acts 20:24

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

Isn’t that the true goal for all of us in this race?  Truly, if our life is to have a meaningful purpose we must strive to finish the tasks that the Lord has set about for us.  If we are spending time in conversation with Him, He will give us the wisdom to see our purpose and He will also provide us the tools to be successful.  I’ve heard it said from many close friends, “He doesn’t make junk!” He wants us to be successful, He wants us to be satisfied and fulfilled, BUT, it will only happen if we keep our eyes fixed on Him and we run the race until we have expended every last effort, just as I saw over and over again as these runners made their way to the finish line.

Some appeared to be in very good shape coming to the finish, tired but looking pretty good.  Others were battered, holding their sides from side stitches, limping because of sore feet and legs, or cramping up, some barely walking or hand peddling their bikes, but none of them, not even one, had an inkling of giving up now.  They had their eyes on the prize, they were going to finish.

This is what the Lord wants for us also.  Keep our eyes on the prize and go on.  I’ll reference another song here, I think it’s a great one, called “Eyes on the Prize” Sara Grove – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmrTvDoqvMM

My next reference is from Hebrews 12: 11-13

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

As with all of the participants in the marathon, they needed discipline to prepare for the race.  It by no means was a pleasant undertaking to run all those prep miles, in all kinds of weather and with all kinds of aches and pains trying to deter them from preparing.  But as the scripture states, it produces the reward of a job well done.

Our preparation can be much the same.  The Lord requires us to prepare, and we see many examples in the Bible of times when the Israelites did not prepare as He instructed.  The results were, to put it mildly, not to the liking of the Israelites!  But to those who bore the pain and hardship of preparing for the Lord as He instructed, they were rewarded.

In our human state, isn’t it so easy to find excuses to “put off” our training and preparation for what the Lord is asking us to do?  How easy do we find it to say, I’ll pray a little longer tomorrow, or I’ll read an extra chapter in the Bible tomorrow and get caught up.  I do it myself, not proud of it, but it’s the truth!  Is this the honest way to prepare for the task He has planned for us?  Thank you Lord for your grace and forgiveness, without it I’m not even in the race!

We need to be willing to make the sacrifice, and prepare so that we can run the race and have the “harvest of righteousness and peace”.

Another verse that reflects the preparation involved is in Romans 5:3-5

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Let me leave you with one final verse:  1 Corinthians 9:24-26

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. 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.

Brothers and Sisters let us all “run the race” to get the crown that will last forever – everlasting life with Jesus in Heaven – don’t cut yourself short; don’t do anything to be “disqualified for the prize”.  Let us all do our very best to prepare and finish the race, while always keeping our eyes on the Lord!

May the Love and Peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all during the coming week.

God Bless!