winning the race and earning the reward
In Hebrews 12:1-2 it states…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.
The full verse talks about striping off every weight that slows us down, specifically sin, as is easily trips us up. And we do this by keeping our eyes not on a gold medal but on Jesus.
Along with millions of others, I’ve been watching the Olympics for the past couple of weeks, not diligently, but enough to have a few favorites. It’s exciting to get caught up in the anticipation of their performances and the outcome. I’ve witnessed many competitors bowing their heads, raising their eyes to the heavens, and even kneeling on the ground, praying that they don’t fall, don’t falter, and achieve high scores. I’m sure they’re also praying that they make it to the podium to represent their country and receive a medal.
I watched one of our American skiers come out of retirement despite previous injuries and age to pursue the glory of winning one more time. However, at what cost? When do you say enough is enough? You don’t. Just as in our race in life, our race to be better Christians, and our race to the eternal prize, we keep going, giving it our all.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24) Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!
25) All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
26) So I run with a purpose in every step. I am not just shadow boxing.
27) I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
This, of course, is a metaphor; a comparison between an athlete and a believer (a Christian). Paul used it to encourage us to live with intense discipline and purpose in our faith. He believed that through training and consistency, we could achieve the imperishable spiritual reward. In verse 27, he expresses his fear of being disqualified, which serves as a warning against neglecting spiritual disciplines. This is not necessarily a loss of salvation, but rather a loss of reward and effectiveness in ministry. Paul is demanding personal discipline, urging us to live intentionally and rigorously in our faith. By doing so, we can stay focused on our ultimate goal: to live in a restored, eternal, and loving relationship with God. This will lead to lasting joy, personal growth, and spiritual growth. We need to embrace life and fully experience its joys and sorrows. When the race is over, we will know that we have won the greatest reward.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
8) 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 reappearing.
The full verse talks about striping off every weight that slows us down, specifically sin, as is easily trips us up. And we do this by keeping our eyes not on a gold medal but on Jesus.
Along with millions of others, I’ve been watching the Olympics for the past couple of weeks, not diligently, but enough to have a few favorites. It’s exciting to get caught up in the anticipation of their performances and the outcome. I’ve witnessed many competitors bowing their heads, raising their eyes to the heavens, and even kneeling on the ground, praying that they don’t fall, don’t falter, and achieve high scores. I’m sure they’re also praying that they make it to the podium to represent their country and receive a medal.
I watched one of our American skiers come out of retirement despite previous injuries and age to pursue the glory of winning one more time. However, at what cost? When do you say enough is enough? You don’t. Just as in our race in life, our race to be better Christians, and our race to the eternal prize, we keep going, giving it our all.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24) Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!
25) All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
26) So I run with a purpose in every step. I am not just shadow boxing.
27) I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
This, of course, is a metaphor; a comparison between an athlete and a believer (a Christian). Paul used it to encourage us to live with intense discipline and purpose in our faith. He believed that through training and consistency, we could achieve the imperishable spiritual reward. In verse 27, he expresses his fear of being disqualified, which serves as a warning against neglecting spiritual disciplines. This is not necessarily a loss of salvation, but rather a loss of reward and effectiveness in ministry. Paul is demanding personal discipline, urging us to live intentionally and rigorously in our faith. By doing so, we can stay focused on our ultimate goal: to live in a restored, eternal, and loving relationship with God. This will lead to lasting joy, personal growth, and spiritual growth. We need to embrace life and fully experience its joys and sorrows. When the race is over, we will know that we have won the greatest reward.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
8) 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 reappearing.
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