Run to Win the Prize

I trust you have had a good week and are looking forward to the weekend.  I am especially looking forward to tomorrow, as I make my yearly trip to the Penn Relays at Franklin Field.  Athletes from various countries have been competing in various track and field events since Thursday. Those athletes who survived the two-day eliminations in the heats will be on display on Saturday trying to win those coveted medals. Many of us will be in the stands cheering for our favorite athlete hoping that they will take home the gold. There is always so much energy and excitement exuded at the Penn Relays that once you start to attend, you try very hard not to miss a year. 

As I reflect on the Penn relays I Corinthians 9:24 comes to mind: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Many athletes started out running on Thursday, but on the final day (Saturday) several of them will have been eliminated. 

We are also involved in a race, and as we see, not all of us will get the prize.  So in other to get this prize of “Eternal Glory” let us distinguish ourselves.  Let us run this race with a purpose and determination to be a winner.  Just as I will be in the stands tomorrow cheering on my favorite teams, so are those who are cheering you on- the chief cheerleader being Jesus Christ. He is reminding you that “You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength”.  He is also letting you know that “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” Can you hear Him telling you to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world and so will you”.  However it will take some elbow grease.

  In essence Paul is saying that Victory is costly.  Here is what we need: A commitment to Excellence- run in such way to get the prize.  Whatever you do, it has to be done with excellence.  Whether it is in how you raise your children, or how you do your work, or your service to others, do so in the best way you can.  Mediocre performance won’t win the prize.  So always ask yourself whenever you have something to do, was this my best effort?

 

In His Service,

 

Vilma