THE LONG DISTANCE RACE

010 – JUNE 2004

THE LONG DISTANCE RACE

HEBREWS 12:1 “…LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH DOTH SO EASILY BESET US, AND LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US.”

RECENTLY, THERE IS A NOTION IN OUR NATIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM TO ELIMINATE COMPETITION. REMOVE THE GRADING SYSTEM AND ATTEMPT A “PASS-FAIL” SYSTEM. THIS CONCEPT HAS SLUNK INTO YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS WHERE YOU DO NOT KEEP A SCORE … AND NO ONE CARES WHO WINS OR LOSES.
ALTHOUGH I CAN SEE THE MERITS OF THIS IDEA, I ‘M NOT A BIG FAN OF IT EITHER. I THINK THAT COMPETITION IS GOOD. MOSTLY, I LIKE THE WAY THAT IT CAN DEVELOP CHARACTER AND ENCOURAGE EXCELLENCE.
IT’S A GOOD QUESTION TO THINK ABOUT.

HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, I AM GLAD THAT JESUS SEES THINGS DIFFERENTLY REGARDING OUR SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE. PAUL WRITES SOME OF HIS FINAL WORDS IN 2 TIMOTHY, CHAPTER 4:
VS. 6 “ … AND THE TIME OF MY DEPARTURE IS AT HAND.
AND 7 “I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH.”

WE ARE RUNNING THIS RACE IN A MANNER TO WIN BUT WITH A GOAL TO FINISH. IT’S A “PASS-FAIL” RACE. I AM NOT COMPETING AGAINST YOU … OR ANYONE ELSE. I’M JUST RUNNING TO FINISH.
SPIRITUALLY, MOST WOULD RATHER RUN A 100 YARD DASH, GET AN ACCEPTABLE QUALIFYING TIME (MAYBE UNDER 20 SECONDS), EARN ETERNAL LIFE, AND BE DONE WITH IT … BUT IT DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY. IT’S A LONG DISTANCE RACE.
AND THE DIFFICULT PART OF THIS IS THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT YOU NEED TO ENDURE. IT IS EXHAUSTING.
HOWEVER, THE REWARDING PART IS THAT, WHETHER YOU COME IN FIRST OR LAST … OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN … YOU ARE APPLAUDED FOR COMPLETING THE COURSE. YOU WIN BECAUSE YOU HAVE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE.
REV 3:5 “HE THAT OVERCOMES, THE SAME SHALL BE CLOTHED IN WHITE RAIMENT; AND I WILL NOT BLOT HIS NAME OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE …”

SO …IF YOU’RE TIRED AND FEEL WEARY – DON’T GIVE UP. PATIENTLY RUN THE RACE THAT HAS BEEN SET BEFORE YOU. AND YOU CAN MAKE IT.
IF YOU’VE FALLEN AND YOU’RE HURT – BE ENCOURAGED. YOUR DELAY HAS NO POWER TO STOP YOU FROM COMPLETING THE COURSE. PICK YOURSELF BACK UP. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WIN … BUT YOU DO HAVE TO FINISH.
IF YOU’VE LOST YOUR WAY – IT’S EASY TO GET BACK. THERE IS NO PRESSURE THAT YOU WILL LOSE BECAUSE OF YOUR DEPARTURE FROM THE COURSE. YOU MUST, HOWEVER, GET BACK ON ROUTE. DEVELOP A “DON’T STOP – KEEP GOING” DETERMINATION. FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, FINISH YOUR COURSE, AND KEEP THE FAITH.

THINK ABOUT IT.