If you have heard me preach before, you will notice that I often talk about trying when it comes to the law. As in, we should try to follow the law of the Lord and do our best to live perfectly. An unobtainable goal but one we should strive for nonetheless. St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” That may sound like works righteousness, but that isn’t the point St. Paul is making. He is encouraging the people of Corinth to take their faith seriously. Just as seriously as those who train to win the prize. Run the race. Why? Because God knows how difficult it is to be faithful.
With any task in life there is a certain level of discipline that we must have to see it through. There will be days when we don’t want to do things we are supposed to do, where we are burnt out, where we are resentful or selfish, where the suffering becomes too much to bear. You know this. That is why we strive in faith to obtain the prize. I was often told in my youth that, “Champions are made in the off season.” I come to know this to be true. Whatever you do while training translates to the game. Likewise, our spiritual discipline helps us when the worst of life comes. We don’t run to obtain salvation; Jesus has already given this to us as a free gift. We run to guard it and keep it close. Just as St. Paul says in the final verse of 1 Corinthians chapter 9, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” Guard the gift given to you brothers and sisters.
Run the race.
In Christ,
Pastor Tommy