Run in such a way as to get the prize

The Olympic games are always good for some memorable moments.  Usain Bolt – the fastest man in the world – has just become the first sprinter to win the gold in three consecutive Olympic games.  That is memorable!

But what really captured my attention is the look on his face as compared to the faces of those behind him.  He is clearly a full stride ahead of the rest of the pack.  They have a look of grim determination, but they can also see Bolt well ahead of them.  It has to be going through their minds that it won’t be gold for them.  Maybe bronze or silver, but no gold. 

But look at Bolt - it’s that smile that draws you into that picture, isn’t it?  He’s winning and he knows it and he is just enjoying the moment.  There’s got to be great joy in knowing that you are going to win the top prize.  That smile says, “It’s all been worth it!  Getting up early to run.  All the training, the work, the pain along the way – gold is just a few strides ahead!”

A Bible passage comes to mind when I look at that picture:  “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.” (1 Corinthians 9:24)  Paul is talking about the race of faith there.  He is urging us to keep the faith all the way to the finish line at the end of life.  But winning that race involves training – the kind only God can provide by strengthening us with his Word.  He knows just how to challenge us in our lives so that our faith develops endurance.  That involves some spiritual muscles and a few painful blisters where we’ve chafed under the trials.  It involves getting up to get to church so that we can eat a well balanced diet of law and gospel at his training table.  It comes through the self-discipline of setting aside time to study his Word and grow in our knowledge.  We’re in the race only because he worked faith in us through his gospel in Baptism and the Word.  And now he leads us to run hard because we know he is both running beside us and waiting at the finish line to welcome us into eternal victory.  There’s joy in that, isn’t there?  That’s why Christians who run the race hard also run with a smile. The victory is already ours in Christ.  A prize worth more than gold is just a few strides ahead.  Just run hard, stride long, and smile.  We know how this race ends! 

Of course, a person can avoid all that effort and pain and work and training.  But then it would be like the guys on the right side of the picture – losing and know they are losing and it’s too late to do anything about it.  No smiles on that side of the picture.  Don’t be those guys.   “Run in such a way as to get the prize.”