Keep Running
As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Do you ever get to a point where you are unsure about what you are doing? For example, my work is fulfilling, but then, there are days I question if I am doing what I am supposed to be doing? I miss my wife at home and wonder if my time would be better spent being a guide to my children or mentor to the grandchildren. Of course, there are things that I need to accomplish to provide that time and energy to them, and for that to happen, I must perform the necessary tasks at work. But that is often hard to remember how doing one thing allows for me to do others. One of my mother’s favorite analogies is that of a runner. “Life is a marathon. Not a sprint,” she would say. But sometimes, you may have to sprint to ensure you can finish the marathon.
God wants us to run the full race. We can look at Paul’s life and realize the different moments when he was a sprinter in the moment. When given instruction from Jesus, he followed it by going to Damascus. Paul also was rushed from Jerusalem as he reflected, “I saw a vision of Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem, for the people here won’t accept your testimony about me.’” (Acts 22:18) This was just a portion of the long race Paul would run spreading the Good News throughout the region, but none of this happens unless he did not ‘sprint’ from Jerusalem at the command of Jesus. We also know of the endurance necessary to run the race as noted by Paul’s message to the Hebrews:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
This is a whole lot of running! However, in saying this Paul provides us with the key to our successful journey in the latter part of these verses. “{B}y keeping our eyes on Jesus,” we can endure because we know how He endured. This connects to the last final instructions of Paul to Timothy for as he said to the Hebrews about Jesus’ place of honor, Paul speaks to Timothy of the crown of righteousness that awaits him as well.
Fixing our eyes upon Jesus Christ is the key to enduring our journey of faith. In Him, we find clarity amidst distractions and strength when we are weary. Life often tempts us to stray from what truly needs to be done, but we can draw immense courage from the trials and triumphs of Christ Himself. When we feel exhausted, let us lean on His example and continue to fight the good fight. Where can your faith find renewal? How can you uplift those who are weary in their race? My prayer is that we draw inspiration from the unwavering strength of the Apostle Paul, who faced countless hardships yet pressed on with unshakable faith. Let us be emboldened by his words and simply keep running. Amen.