Philippians 3:13-14
No, dear brothers, I am still
not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this
one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I
strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God
is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
When
I was in my twenties, I took up running as a form of exercise…and I
competed in a few 5K and 10K races. Working toward the race gave me
motivation and a goal. I had to train and prepare. I couldn’t just
show up on Race Day and run 3.1 to 6.2 miles…I had to build up my
stamina, endurance, and strength. So I would go on 3-to-6-mile runs
every day to get my body (and my mind) ready for the actual event.
I’ll
tell you, each day was different. Some “training days” were good…and
others I’d just as soon forget! In fact, even within the run itself, I
would tell myself, “Okay, you can’t think about the 4.5 miles you have
already run and how tired you are…you have to focus on this last 1.5
miles and getting finished.” Honestly, there were lots of times that I
wasn’t even all that concerned with how well I ran…I just wanted to be
done! And for me, it wasn’t about the prize or medal on Race Day…it was
about the personal satisfaction of knowing that I worked toward a goal
and completed it. But there were indeed “prizes” and medals…and I did
pick up a few - usually because in the early 1980s, there were so few
women who ran competitively!
Most of us are working toward
something…a high school diploma or college degree…a promotion at
work…saving up enough money to buy a house or a car…finding the right
partner and starting a family…saving for retirement…making it to the
eligibility point for receiving Social Security and Medicare
benefits…living to a certain age – or long enough to see our children or
grandchildren grown…or getting to travel to a certain destination or
experience things on a “bucket list”. Dreams and goals are important!
They give our lives purpose…and the “prize” or reward we seek often
motivates us to keep going.
I wonder…how motivated are we
spiritually? Do we truly desire to be better today than we were
yesterday? Do we really “press on toward the mark” and strive to do
more for Jesus each day? Do we get bogged down in our past and use that
as a crutch for failing to serve as faithfully or enthusiastically as
we should? Are we as diligent in our efforts to be faithful Christian
disciples as we are to save for a house or a car…or to achieve other
personal goals? Do we work as hard for Jesus as we do for ourselves?
Is
the “prize for which God is calling us up to Heaven” - the promise of
Eternity in His presence - enough motivation for us to “bring all of our
energies to bear” on what we do in this earthly lifetime? Shouldn’t it
be? Are we giving all we can to the one who gave so much for us, so
that we can rest with Him in Heaven someday? Or are we taking His
“prize” for granted…and “resting on our laurels”?
How you answer
these questions matters! Which “prizes” have caught your eye and
garnered your attention? You will have plenty of time to rest when
Jesus calls you “home” for good. What are you doing in the meantime?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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