Running and Winning

I have been thinking about running and winning races recently. The Winter Olympics probably triggered my thoughts initially, even although they are more about sliding than running.

Each week feels a bit like a race. I am running against the clock, day after day. As soon as I wake up, the clock is already ticking. Yet can I drag myself out of bed? Not without a struggle - usually after 2 or 3 pushes of the snooze button!

Each day starts with a long list of activities, some important, some urgent, and some are both of these. If I tackle them in the wrong order, then I won't get some of these tasks done before I need to have them done. So the work must be carefully ordered, and then carried out with sufficient energy to get them done in time.

It is quite like a race, although I am not racing against anyone else - just aginst the clock and the calendar.

In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he exhorts his readers to run in such a way as to win the prize. Strict discipline is required in order to be crowned the winner. Run straight for the finishing line, without any unnecessary diversions, and without stopping to catch your breath.

Like those who compete in the boxing ring, harden your body with blows, and bring it under complete control, so that we do not get disqualified from the race.

When little children run in the Nursery Race, or at the Sunday School race, they do not know what to do, or where to go. They don’t know they are supposed to run faster than the other little children, to reach the finishing line first.

So the parents go to the finishing line, and hold out their arms to their child, and call them by name. When the child hears their parent calling, and sees their parent's smiling encouraging face, with their arms held out ready to give them a cuddle, they take off. They cannot wait.

The children are not worried how long it takes them. They don’t care whether they beat anyone else. Their prize is secure, a cuddle from their parent, who they know loves them to bits.

So too with us. Indeed, not only us, but the whole human race. We don’t know the way. We don’t know what to do, or where to go? We cannot find out by ourselves. We need God, our Father, to help us. He is standing there, holding his arms out, calling your name, ready and waiting to give you a cuddle.

He came amongst us, in Jesus. He showed us the Way. He told us the Truth. He lived the Life he calls us to live.

Don’t go racing after other people - hurry after Jesus. Train hard. Discipline yourself. Put in those hours of work and effort. Get the best equipment, the best trainers, and the best coach.

Run as close to Jesus as you can. Be the best you can be.

He won’t leave you behind, but you don’t want to slow him down.

Together you can win the race and claim the prize.