Finishing Well
By Michael
K. Farrar, O.D.
© 2001
The crowd
watched as the runners took their places in their appropriate running lanes.
Each athlete placed their feet firmly in their starting blocks taking care to
position them just right. Every runner knew the importance of having a strong
foundation from which to launch themselves into the race. The competitors bowed
their heads and looked down at the compacted red dirt as they carefully placed
the fingers of each hand onto it for balance. Their minds meditated on nothing
but preparing every inch of their bodies for winning the race set before them.
The
starter raised his arm with his pistol pointing high in the air and yelled, “READY!”
Muscles
tensed in the runner’s legs as they readied themselves for the start.
“SET!”
Each
runner raised their heads and focused ahead of them, not at the end of the
track, but at the imaginary finish line. Each concentrated on seeing themselves
breaking the tape that set the boundary between winners and losers.
BANG! The
starter’s pistol rang out as the runners exploded from their positions.
Determination and commitment could be seen on each runner’s face as they sped
down the track and passed the cheering crowd. The feet of the runners barely
seemed to touch the ground as they dug into the hard dirt just enough to propel
themselves forward. Their legs were flashes of flesh as they swept back and
forth, strong pistons of determination. Each runner knew that in order to win
the race they would have to finish at the head of the pack after four laps.
One runner
moved through the ranks and pushed into fourth place. The crowd sensed a winner
revealing himself. This courageous individual took over third then second
place. The crowd stood in anticipation as two runners battled for first. Neck
and neck they ran, sucking in air with huge gasps as their chests heaved with
the pumping of their strong hearts. The crowd went wild as these two runners
entered the last lap side-by-side. The cheering of the crowd became deafening.
It would be a photo finish for sure.
The runner who had moved up from so far behind made his move. From
somewhere he mustered the strength to quicken his stride and he moved a
fraction of an inch ahead of his adversary just as they fell across the finish
line. Hats went flying, hands clapped, women fainted and children screamed as
the young athlete crossed the finish line in first place.
The
Apostle Paul uses a similar analogy to encourage us in our Christian life. In 1
Corinthians 9:24‑27 he says, “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 a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man
beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have
preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” Paul
knows that we are not running the race of the Christian life against each
other. We are competing against ourselves. He challenges us to run the race of
the Christian life just like an athlete who is competing for first place in the
Olympics. We must live a life of discipline and obedience. These efforts at the
race of righteousness do not save us, they simply demonstrate our commitment to
our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. We run out of love for our Savior. Our prize
and crown is freely given us, but our Lord asks us to run a race of integrity
and dedication to holiness.
Paul
encourages us to run this race with clear vision and focusing on Jesus. He
states in Hebrews 12:1‑3, “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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat
down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you
will not grow weary and lose heart.” Paul is saying here that there are
many witnesses to how we live our life as Christians. Knowing that many will
witness the quality of our Christian life, we need to remove anything, any sin
that might hinder us in the race to glorify our Lord. Just like the runners in
the race above, we need to strive for holiness not just during the first lap,
but every lap we run. The habits we establish in our youth become the
foundation for our later years. The more we train and discipline ourselves in
obedience to our Heavenly Father, the more skilled we become in running the
race. God calls us to run this race, not just in our youth, but our entire
lives. We are not to rest on the laurels of accomplishments of our younger
years, but to continue in our race till we cross the finish line. Our example
and role model is the Lord Himself, who ran a similar race. He ran His race to
glorify His Father in heaven and do His will. Jesus ran when the crowds of
people complimented Him and He ran when all turned away and denied Him. We need
to run according to His example.
Paul’s
goal in life was to run the race as best he could. He had no other goal or
priority other than running the best race for his Lord and Master. He states in
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.” At the end of his life when he
faced death and knew his end was near he further shares about his determined
goal and visualizes the finish line. He shares in 2 Timothy 4:7‑8, “I have
fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now
there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will award to me on that day‑and not only to me, but also to
all who have longed for his appearing.”
How are
you doing in your race? Are you giving it your all? Do you train each day to
run the race of a holy life? We all need to rise to the challenge that Paul
lays before us, the calling that Jesus has destined us for. We are children of
the great King and we need to run for Him with all our heart, mind and soul.