When the word “race” is mentioned, there could be all kinds of images that arise. The first in some people’s minds involves skin color and ethnic origin. Then we have the Iron Man competition here in Coeur d’Alene, with three types of races and where the test is all about endurance. But then in track and field there are a variety of races, where speed is the critical factor. In skiing, while speed is essential, technique may be more important. Then there are political races, where speed has nothing to do with who wins. In those races, it seem to be more about who can best slow down or trip the opponent. It’s more about how good the runners look, and how much money they spend on their race equipment.
After he spends a chapter talking about the faith some of the great men and women of the Bible, Paul mentions the Christian race. To be more precise, he speaks of the Christian life as though it was a very special kind of race. In other places the Bible describes life as an extended journey with a place to go. If the Christian life is a race then it’s more like the one between the tortoise and the hare than it is the fastest man on earth. In this race it’s not who arrives first, it’s about the tortoise helping the hare to get to the finish line despite his ego and all the problems that he creates for himself. And in this race, all those faithful and faith-filled saints of the past are in the stands cheering us on. But more important than them is that the Judge of the race is watching as well.
A journey and a race, despite being different, share some similar characteristics. Both represent our lives as continuous progress until we get to the desired destination. The pilgrim can travel at his own pace, stopping to see the sights, or take care of business. He can be like the Samaritan, with places to go, but injured Jews to help along the way. Despite stopping for a while to lend a hand, he can only stay a day before moving on. The runner, on the other hand, can’t take his eye off the road for a moment. He can’t slow down, because getting to the goal is all that he has on his mind. Is Paul correcting us by saying, “Christian, run with patience the race that is set before you”?
This old outline has probably been preached ten thousand times, but you haven’t heard it from me before.
As far as racers go they should have a definite aim in mind when they put their feet in the starting block.
But IS that true of most people as far as the race of life is concerned? I suppose that as young adults go, many have goals – brain surgeon, astronaught, or to marry Freddy. But by the age of 30 when those preliminaries have been attained or missed, then what? Here is a high school age basketball player; he’s the star of his team; he’s been offered scholarships to several universities Should the term “scholarship” be used when talking about sending athletes to college? Shouldn’t “scholarships” be given to scholars, and something else to jocks? “Free passes” perhaps. Here is a budding basketball player who dreams of being the MVP in the NCAA Final Four tournament. Is his life a failure when that doesn’t happen, and he isn’t offering a multi-million dollar pro contract?
What do most people have “when their life’s work is ended and they cross the swelling tide?” “What shall a man be profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” To grow wealthy and retire at the age of 40 is a shabby and worthless goal, if that is really the goal. Yesterday, as I typed that last sentence either my finger slipped or perhaps my brain and I reversed two letters. Rather than “goal” I typed “gaol.” There may be only a slip of the finger between some people’s goals and jail. Few people have definite worth-while goals in life. What is it that we should want from our few short years in this world? Whatever it is, it needs to be something which transcends our 70 years. Our goal in life should not be fame, or wealth, or luxury – all earthly things – finite things.
Why did Paul tell us to run with patience “looking unto Jesus?” Do you remember the Lord’s parable of the talents? Several men were given various sums of money. Their employer was expecting each of them to do something with his investment, making it grow. The success of each was different, but the satisfaction of the their master was essentially the same. Except of course, for the man who wasted his opportunity. What if that was actually a parable about time or talents of skill rather than talents of gold.
The most important thing that those industrious servants earned was the smile of their master. To paraphrase Matthew 10:28 – “Seek not the smile of him who can bless you physically and temporarily, but rather see the smile of Him who can bless body and soul for eternity.” The best aim worthy for the Christian – is to be molded into the likeness of Christ Jesus. Perhaps another is to do the Lord’s will – constantly, continually. In other words the goal of the Christian life is not won at the finish line, it is won throughout the race.
Of course the only way to reach the goal is to follow the God-appointed path.
The Lord will not smile toward the Christian racer who breaks the rules – deliberately or accidentally. No one can make up his own rules when the race belongs to Christ and He is the Judge. Take as an example, the qualification necessary to get into the race to begin with. Several of the big marathons, like Boston or New York, have been marred by people joining the race five or ten miles in, only running part of the race. How many people think that entrance into God’s race begins with baptism or a financial gift to some charity. Morality may be one of the guidelines to running a successful race, but it doesn’t put a person into the race in the first place. We must run God’s course by His rules. “Ye must be born again,” before you can start training for the Olympics giant slalom.
“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” In most athletic races – not political races of course – there are strict rules and particular paths. In medium distance running or speed skating races, there may be 2, 4, 6 or 8 racers, all lined up. As the gun is fired, they may have to stay in their lanes for a certain distance, but after that they can move inside or outside to finish the race. Or in some cases they may start on the inside and then halfway through the race they have to switch lanes and skate on the outside, making the distance the same for both racers.
Of course in the Christian life, some races are much longer than others. That’s fine with those saintly Christians, because they know that Christ is the not only the Judge, but He actually designed the race course. Have you ever noticed Olympic slalom or down hill ski races which on the second or third day were deliberately redesigned because earlier they had been either too difficult or too easy? The Lord of our race doesn’t have to do that because He is omnisciently perfect. And He may say that my finish line is after 66 yards but yours is at 96 yards. If I run my shorter race as I should, and you run yours according to His rules, the victor’s wreath for both of us will be the same.
One key to that victory is the necessity for steady progress.
Lets go back to the race between the tortoise and the hare – wasn’t that one of Aesop’s stories? That hare – that rabbit-like creature – might be able to run at 50 mph for a while. The tortoise – that turtle-like creature – might not be able to get to 3 mph – ever. But in the fable, why did the tortoise win? Because he didn’t quit – he just kept at it. “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” The word “patience” means exactly what you’d expect it to mean – no hidden spiritual suggestions.
Continuous progress is the key to a useful Christian life. I can picture some Christians that I have known, who got angry with the preacher, they got bitter, got backslidden, and quit church. But then they came to their senses, returned to church, apologized to the pastor and everyone and began serving the Lord again. And then they went through the process again. I can think of one man who, I observed, did that several times. What patience that pastor and church had. In my exercise program, I modify the speed and intensity of my training. I will go fast or hard for a little while and then I’ll ease off and take it easy for a while. I have been told that it is good for my heart. But it is not good for my spiritual heart. Judy and I have an wonderful, healthy tamarack tree in our back yard. During lunch for several years now, I have been watching it grow – its daily growth is almost visible. A couple weeks ago, I looked out without thinking, and I thought “our tamarack isn’t growing.” Oops, of course not, trees don’t grow during winter; in fact it looks completely lifeless. You and I are not tamaracks, we are supposed to be Redwoods or Cedars living in a coast rain-forest. We shouldn’t have seasons of growth and then seasons of falling back.
“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” “I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” It is not a disgrace to pass into glory later than some other saint, but it is a disgrace to leave the race.
Once again, I tell you that I don’t particularly enjoy going to the gym. I have no idea how many times, I have thought about stopping before my self-imposed distance. I am not a runner, per se, but I have reason to believe that sitting at home drinking coffee is easier. When Paul speaks of “patience,” there is an implied suggestion of difficulty. He even asked the Galatians, “Ye did run well (for a while) who did hinder you?” Some might have answered, “Well, it was a beautiful day and I got distracted.” Others might have said that they felt too ill or too tired that day. But some might have stopped to steal an apple on the other side of fence. Others heard the voice of Homer’s sirens, and quite to join their unsaved friends.
Paul was no fool; he knew exactly how hard it is to be consistently consistent in this long-distance race. As the Lord taught him, “we must lay aside very weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” I’ve mentioned a man who I’ve seen train on a treadmill with a backpack full of weights. That may be fine for physical training, but I’m sure he never wore that backpack in the race for which he was training. And we can’t carry the weight of the world, or the weight of our sins and successfully run either.
There are signs posted at various places in the little gym where I work out. They say things like, “Don’t work harder; work smarter. Call us to book a trainer.” Isn’t wonderful to know that the Designer of our course, and the Judge of our race is one and the same? Isn’t is also somewhat ironic that if we would like a trainer to help us, it is this same Lord Jesus? Not only is He the eternal God, but He is also our elder brother. “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”