Live Life like a Runner

You’ve heard the old saying, “Life is a journey, not a destination.”  While that may offer some perspective during an immediate time of challenge, we all know that there is more to life than a simple saying written on the wall at your local gym.  As evangelical Christians we claim God’s word as our ultimate moral authority and direction in life.  So what does the Bible say about the pace of life?

In Ephesians 5:15-16, the apostle Paul speaks about walking through life with wisdom, being good stewards of every moment:
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

But Paul also compares life to a footrace in 1 Corinthians 9:24:

“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.”

I am not a marathoner, but I have done a bit of running.  The longest distance I have ever run was 10 miles, and I’ve done that many times.  Something I learned about during my running days was pace.  The course is not flat.  There are hills to climb and to descend.  A runner who has purpose will adjust his or her speed and posture, slowing down and leaning into an uphill, and then relaxing a bit to take advantage of the downhills.  The other thing I know about running is vision.  If you’re only looking at the road five feet ahead, you will not recognize a change in the terrain as it approaches from the distance.  Conversely, if you’re only focusing on the things that are on the horizon, you won’t notice the pothole directly in your path and you’ll risk a twisted ankle or worse.

Applying this to our spiritual lives, we must regularly be looking for immediate opportunities to serve and share the Gospel – the Lord may call you to specific action today!  But we must also consider the long-term plans to which the Lord may be calling us and properly prepare ourselves for them through consistent prayer and Bible study.  So you are constantly looking up and forward, and then down and directly in front of you; then back up to look forward, then back down again.  The truth is that the life of a Christ follower is both a journey and a destination.  This place may not be our home (Hebrews 13:14), but we do have an assignment to accomplish while we’re here (Matthew 25:21, Matthew 28:18-20).

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com