We get very excited when our team begins to win. When they win, even when we aren't playing, there is a feeling of elation because it is our team and it was hard fought. Paul challenges us in much the same way.
"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it." 1 Corinthians 9:24
Paul writing to the Corinthians church, a people who understood competition very well because of their familiarity with Isthmian games, a type of Olympics. When Paul wrote the word "race" the meaning behind it was pretty intricate. The athletes at these games were not competing only for riches, but they competed mainly for honor. Winners at these games had dedicated themselves to the discipline, training, excellence, and mindset to win. They were considered heroes and icons in their culture. They were given respect, notoriety, and fame for a lifetime. Paul's emphasis was partially this that we should compete, run our race, that we too would commit the excellence, discipline, and training to win our race and we would be given, by God, the honor, respect and notoriety of a winner for heaven.
The other part of this idea is that our excellence and training would cause us not only to win but to challenge others, by our victories, to want to do the same thing to win. Both the honoring by God and the challenge to others with them beginning to compete are both our prizes. Paul repeats this thought in Romans in 2:10. Paul expects every Christian to run this race, as he says, "all run," and every Christian should then expect to impact everyone around them so they too might run.
Paul's other challenge to "obtain" the prize, means to give everything you have to win the race. The expectation from Paul is that you will strain, do battle with your own heart and mind, to overcome every obstacle with the expectation of not just placing, but winning. This is not just "jogging for Jesus" but an expectation of giving all that you have to win the prize. It is expected for you to impact everyone you know to strive to win as well.
The cost if we don't run this way is; families falling apart, children walking away from Jesus, people by the thousands going to hell every hour. The blessing if we win is; thousands more in heaven, God blessing us more than we could ever imagine, our families strengthened and blessed. Let's choose today to run to win! When these are the stakes, winning is the only option!
1 comment:
In any type of competition there must be extreme training, focus on the goal and an expectation to win! There also needs to be a coach who is constantly pushing and believing you can do it, thank you for being our coach. In this race called life are eyes need to be focused on Jesus always striving to do our best to be examples of Him so that others will also want to run this race!
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