The Best Part
My best years were when I was in 7th and 8th grade. Being from a very small school, I was recruited to run varsity track even though I was in Junior High. I was thin and athletic. Running came naturally. As I moved into High School, and after taking a year off, I never regained the same performance as I had in my younger years. Even so, I have been a runner all my life. In my journey with Christ I am also a lifelong runner.
Paul encouraged his reader to run a race endurance in Hebrews 12:1b-2 where he wrote:
“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.”
These words tell me that I am in a run and to keep enduring I need to keep my eyes on Jesus. He is the winner of all things!
I recently had a conversation on exercising with a couple of family members. We each shared our challenges to start exercising and staying consistent in doing so. We shared tips and ideas to that would help us stay the course. We made several observations:
- It’s not easy!
- A commitment is required.
- Continual improvement is obtained through pain.
- Being fit is healthy.
- It’s a battle to come back after a break.
- The best part is being done.
To run my race in having faith in Jesus mirrors each of these points. Read them again and modify them slightly:
- It’s not easy!
- A daily commitment is required.
- Continual improvement is obtained through pain.
- Being fit in following Christ is healthy.
- It’s a battle to come back after a break.
- The best part is being done.
Point 5 is my favorite.
Being done with a run for exercise may mean a reward of a cool drink of water and a comfortable shower. However being done with my run in Christ means I will experience Heaven, a reward that I can’t even imagine. A place planned out for me to be with Christ:
“There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” John 14: 2-3
As I get older, running is more and more challenging and keeping the pace of the past is elusive. However, I am encouraged to know that in my run with Christ my work is of valued. In Philippians 2:16 Paul cheers us on as he recaps his experience in following Christ:
“Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.”
Yes, indeed the best part is being done.
JW