One of my favorite television programs is The Amazing Race. This reality show takes up to a dozen couples (people in pre-existing relationships) and places them in a foreign country where they race—via trains, buses, cabs, bikes, and feet—from one point to the next, gaining instructions for the next challenge. The goal is to get to the designated finishing point before everyone else. The last couple to make it to each finishing point is eliminated. And the couple who wins the race receives one million dollars.
Paul said that he was in a race too. He presented this word picture in Philippians 3. The apostle admitted that he had not fully developed as a Christian and that there was room for improvement in his walk with Jesus (Philippians 3:12). He was in a race, making progress, racing toward the finish line of being conformed to the image of Jesus and having perfect fellowship with Him forever. As he ran the race, Paul didn’t allow his past failures and successes to prevent him from making progress. He didn’t let his past failures make him feel guilty or his present successes make him complacent. He didn’t look back, but he moved forward despite his failures because he knew that Jesus had forgiven him (Philippians 3:13).
As believers in Jesus, we’re also running a race. We’re in process, striving to make progress in our spiritual life. If we want to make it to the finish line, we must be in a constant state of growth in Christ. We must also forget the past and focus on the future. We can move forward despite our failures, knowing that we have been forgiven.
We’re racing, not for a million dollars, but for the ultimate prize of being more like Jesus. Let’s “press on to reach the end of the race” (v.14).
More:
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord— who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Next:
How could Paul’s past failures and present successes prevent him from running a good race? What kind of race are you running for Jesus?
R R Kelkar on June 17, 2010 at 1:05 am
A good post. The world is so full of competition. There is a race against time for everything. There is no time for rest. But rather than try to win the Amazing Race, I would rather strive to receive God’s Amazing Grace, grace that finds me when I am lost and helps me see through my blindness. Even Paul told us that God’s Grace is always sufficient for us.
marvin williams on June 17, 2010 at 6:55 pm
R R, I am right there with you. There are days when I find myself reminding myself that God loves me and his grace is sufficient for me. Thanks.
pteast on June 17, 2010 at 4:36 am
Sometimes in the life it’s so easy to get side tracked with ‘life’ and we take our eyes off the finish line. Stay focused on Jesus, stay focused He is the true prize That is what I keep telling myself to keep going. And Jesus, He is always there to help me continue on.
marvin williams on June 17, 2010 at 6:57 pm
Man, I know I get side tracked with family, ministry, personal ambition, and sometimes I miss what God wants to say to me. Every so often we have to clean out the clutter and silence the noise around us and in our soul, and be still before him, don’t we. Thanks for adding your voice to this conversation.
lindagma on June 17, 2010 at 7:02 am
The greatest encouragement in this “race” is that our past failures can be left behind and serve as learning experiences. Only Jesus walked perfect in this world and he knows with what we deal. What a gracious God we serve
marvin williams on June 17, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Yes and Yes!
loananna on June 17, 2010 at 7:59 am
Oh God i pray for endurance to finish the race. it’s hard to go on…May your promises help and give me strength to continue. This life we live here is so hard and going so fast sometimes i can’t breath. It is good to lay me down at your feet and leave my burdens there. Lord i need you now…
marvin williams on June 17, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Wow! Lord, I echo loananna’s prayer on behalf of all of us. Amen.
marvin williams on June 17, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Lord, please give loananna power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, to endure through her own Gethsemane.
peg on June 18, 2010 at 6:52 am
I am a runner and I know if I don’t run on a regular basis, I struggle to get back into the swing of things. I think it would be the same with my walk with The Lord. I need to seek Him everyday, or I will have a struggle. Thanks, Peg
compassion1 on June 18, 2010 at 10:44 am
I am running this race constantly to win for Failure is not an Option. I have seen many fall back, give up because of a wilderness experience. When storms arise in my life I look toward JESUS and keep my focus on HIM; although I must admit that at times it gets hard, but there is nothing too hard for my God! Knowing that the joy of the Lord is my strength and with CHRIS I WIN EVERYTIME! I love this race because I know at the end the race true life begins in a new world. I am heaven bound.
marvin williams on June 17, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Gina, I love what Jesus said in Matthew 11: Come to me all of you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest – rest from striving to be good enough for him to save us and accept us. I want to find myself resting in him more and more. Thanks for adding your voice.