WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL – “Run to win”

As the apostle Paul came to the close of his second letter to his spiritual son Timothy, he spoke of the Christian life as a fight to be fought, a race to be run, and a faith that is to be steadfastly maintained. As he looked back over his life, he was able to conclude, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8, KJV).

In his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul writes, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, KJV). Eugene Peterson paraphrases these verses, “You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally” (The Message). Paul not only concluded that he had fought a good fight, but that he had finished his course and had won his prize. His only motto would have been “run to win.”

On these verses, Bible Commentator John Gill writes, “The act of ‘running’ is a motion forward, a following on to know the Lord, a going from strength to strength, from one degree of grace to another, a pressing forward toward the mark for the prize; and requires spiritual strength from Christ, and a daily renewal of it. [It] is to be performed with readiness, swiftness, and cheerfulness, in opposition to a slowness of heart to believe, and a slothfulness and sluggishness in the business and service of Christ.” It is no wonder Paul was able to say “I have finished the course.” His life was one constant act of running, right up to these last days before his execution.  His only goal was to win.

How are you doing in your race? Are you receiving spiritual strength from Christ? If so, is there a daily renewal of it?

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