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The Race That Everyone Wins

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27


In the above passage, Paul compares the Christian pilgrimage to the Olympic games. The athletes have been training for one race for their entire lives. They have been extremely disciplined with their training regiments and their diets as well as devoted their entire lives to this one end. The amazing thing is that after years of dedication, only one can win the prize and be crowned the winner.


Paul tells us to run so that we may obtain the prize at the end of our lives. Run as if there is only one winner and that our entire eternity depends on how well we run this race. The second half of that is absolutely true. How we run in this life directly impacts how we will spend eternity in Heaven.


However, the glorious part is that, in Christ, everyone is victorious. There is no second place, only a myriad of victors crowned with imperishable wreaths and medals of honor. This seems too good to be true, but Scripture is clear that He who began a good work in you will see it on to completion at the Day of Jesus Christ. It is also clear that Jesus not only perfects our faith, but He authors it as well.


Read the following verses and see how we are taken out of the equation.


He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13, 14


God’s grace is amazing, isn’t it? As Christians, we should run in a way that displays the fact that experiencing God and His grace is more important to us than anything in this world. If we aren’t doing that, the race that we’ve been created to run has been cheapened by our love of self and love of the world. How tragic when we take our eyes off of Jesus Christ and run aimlessly when the God of creation testifies that He loves us and desires to make our paths straight, leading us directly into His glorious sanctuary!


I commit, to all who read this, my best efforts to running this race with everything I’ve got. By His grace, just like Paul, I will receive my crown.


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