“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.”
I Cor. 9:24 My wife and I love watching the Olympics! We especially like the track part of the Olympics. To watch people who have trained and worked so hard and then run to their very best is always so enjoyable to watch. But you know what? It’s kind of painful to see all of these people work so hard, and then there is only one who gets the prize of the Gold medal. What about the others? What about the ones who don’t get a medal at all? Are they losers? I don’t think so!! You see, for them, when they run and achieve their personal bests it is a prize for them. It is the joy of doing your very best that drives them, and of course the idea that their very best could result in a wonderful prize of a medal.
When Paul wrote this to the Corinthians he was using the analogy of a race to help everyone who was serving the Lord to be inspired to live life for Jesus Christ in their very best way. In other words to strive to do their very best for a prize that is way beyond anything given out in this world. The prize that is eternity with a loving Father God and His Son Jesus Christ!
A runner does everything they possibly can to achieve the prize of winning the ultimate race. Paul was saying we should look at living our lives of serving Jesus in the same way. Literally being in such oneness with Him that everything we do is about Him. As you are reading this, let me ask you, is this your mentality toward your relationship with Jesus Christ? For many, sadly, the answer is no. The response might be to use scripture like the one that says “we are saved by grace, not by works.” Indeed we are saved by grace and not by works, and no matter what we do in this life, we could never deserve the prize that we receive through Christ. However, because of what Christ has done for me, because I once was a prisoner to sin, and now I am not, I want to run this race of life for Him!! To glorify Him! To Honor Him!
Just like the athletes when they drape their country’s flag around them when they win, I want to drape the love of Christ around me, and testify to the world that the reason I run this race of proclaiming Jesus is not to win a medal, but because I love Him, and He is the prize that is worth so much more than any other prize we could live our lives for. So, how about it? This very day, why don’t you choose to live your life for Christ and run this race called life to your very best? If so, you might just hear Jesus say to you one day when you step into heaven: “well, done my good and faithful servant.” I can’t think of anything better than that to hear from God himself!!
(Editor’s Note: This column is written by a different Littlefield pastor for the Leader-News each week. The columns are published on this page on Wednesdays.)