I've had the extreme pleasure recently to watch a friend come to Christ. I swear I could hear trumpets and cheering in heaven! But now he needs discipleship. He doesn't know what it means to be a Christian. In an encouraging email to him, I closed with the line, "run the race." He replied rather cryptically with "I'm not in the rat race." (It's true, he's an entreprenuer.) Below is what I replied with. Writing the reply turned out to be a really good study for myself, since I had never extracted all of the race metaphors from the Bible before. Since writing that reply, I've found my mind contemplating it many times, so it's proving to be very fruitful. I thought I'd share with you all: Aah! Hehe. No, read 1 Corinthians 9:19 to the end of the chapter. Also, before Paul is arrested in Acts 20:22-24 and, at the end of Paul's life, 2 Timothy 4:6-8. Additionally, Hebrews 12:1-3 which may or may not have been written by Paul. It's not the rat race, for that is meaningless (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11), but Jesus' race, the only one with meaning.
When one runs a race, he drops everything that will hinder: baggy clothes, backpacks, water bottles.... He clears the path before him, surmounting obstacles. Before the race he goes into strict training and beats his body into a high-performance machine, setting aside watching TV and other frivolous activities to make time to train. Listen: run the race to win. Fight the good fight. This is what it means to "pick up your cross daily" (Luke 9:23) and set your sight on the finish line (Jesus, Hebrews 12:2). That is my encouragement to you. Let Paul's life be an encouragement to you as he is to me.
By the way, did you know that the Olympic games were held every four years in Greece during Paul's life? He used a metaphor his audience would understand. It's a rather apt metaphor for Summer 2008.
The cited scripture: Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 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. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 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. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 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. 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. I hope this is an encouragement to you. An apt metaphor we should take full advantage (Col 4:5) of while the Olympics is going on. |
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