BORN TO RUN ( Finishing The Race)

 by Sylvester Okoro

Life has been described as a school and that we all are students while our daily challenges, trials and temptations constitute tests and examinations. No wonder Jesus says in Revelation 22:11 "Behold I come quickly and my reward (Report Card)  is with me to give to everyone according to his work.  Life can also be described as a battle.  Here the Bible admonishes us to put on the whole armour of God because we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Ephesians 6:11-12

But my favourite analogy of what life is, is that LIFE IS A RACE. ".... let us run with patience the  race that is set before us. Hebrew 12:1. This description of life as a race, reminds me of what happened in one of our inter house sports years in Secondary school. It was a 1,500 metres marathon race where the runners had to run round the field three and a half times.  To our pleasant surprise, our representative took of in a dash, as the bell signalled the start of the race. I was happy, excited and then desirous with joy, as our rep kept increasing his lead and running pretty fast. Then after the first lap, he slowed then, but was still leading comfortably... At the end of the second lap however, he was so slow that he was literally walking!  Meanwhile, the other contestants were closing the gap. I  remember jumping up and down along with others,  shouting.."Run!  Run!! They are coming!!!  Then the unexpected happened! Our guy stopped running and fell down just at the end of the third lap! I was besides myself with worry. Together with our house members, we shouted and shouted..." get up!  Get up!! " but he did not. Then we started begging him, "please...pleaaaasseee!  Get up, but Uche refused to get up, until all the other runners over took him. He did not even complete the race. When he eventually got up, he said " Una won kill me, abi?  I was almost dying there "

LIFE IS A MARATHON RACE

Whenever I remember that race, it becomes clear to me that life is a Marathon race and not a 100 metre dash. Paul therefore advices us to "run with patience the race that is set before us " - Hebrew 12:1, and Jesus says, " He who endures to the end, the same shall be saved "  Matthew 24:13. This race therefore requires PATIENCE AND ENDURANCE.
Another obvious requirement for this race we all are in is TRAINING. You may run a 100m race without training, but you can never run a marathon race without adequate training. Paul says, do you not know that all who strive to win discipline themselves?  And that he keeps his body under discipline and control, so that he will not fall by the way side. 1 Cor 9:25-27.

The Los Angeles  Olympic Games of 1984, saw the great American athlete, Carl Lewis equal Jesse Owens record of 4 gold medals won in Berlin 1936 Olympic. A record that stood  for most 50 years! by winning 4 gold medals in 100m,  200m,  4 x 100m and the long jump. Asked about the secret of his success, he said in addition to training, he had the lightest spike ever worn by any athlete.

We cannot run this race of life without letting go of our sins. We cannot have malice in our hearts, unforgiving spirit, commit fornication, adultery, steal, lie, etc and expect to win the prize that awaits us. The Bible again tells us to lay aside every weight of sin, so that we can run this race successfully.

Hebrew 12:1

The last day of the Athletic Event in The All African Games held in Kenya in 1987, saw Nigeria and Kenya in a neck- to-neck battle for the third position, with Egypt and Tunisia already occupying the 1st and 2nd position respectively.  Both Nigeria and Kenya were tied up with 22 gold medal each and needed to win the event to take 3rd.  The Nigerian team was led by Innocent Egbunike, Henry Amike and two others whose name I cannot remember.

The race started very well for Nigeria with our first and second runners taking first, but hotly pursued by the Kenyans. Then disaster struck. We made a mistake in the exchange of baton between the 3rd and 4th runner and the battle fell!  A gasp of horror and despair went up from the Nigerian contingent and supporters... In seconds, the other runners passed by... then somehow Innocent Egbunike picked up the baton and a hot pursuit ensued, this time from the last position. At about 300m to go, he caught up and passed the 7th and 6th runners and the 5th and 4th runners by the 200m...remaining the next 3 runners. At about 80m to go, he passed the 3rd and 2nd runner...leaving the front Kenya runner.
Will he be able to catch up with the Kenya runner?  The whole stadium was silent with tension, even the Nigerian supporters who ought to be cheering Innocent on. You could hear a pin drop! Then at just about 10m to go, Innocent caught up with the Kenya runner but could not pass him... It became a "do-or-die" affair" with neither willing to give up... They continue to the finishing line, where Egbunike in a last ditch effort push put his neck and head, beating the Kenyan runner by less than 2 seconds!

Perhaps, you've dropped your baton somewhere along the line, the Bible says "if a man falls  shall he not get up? " or maybe you're running out of patience and getting tired... The Lord promises to renew your strength and refresh you, so that you can run and not get tired! 

Even the youths shall faint and be  weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31  But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew  their strength; they shall mount up with wings  as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and  they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:30-31
 Maybe, you're busy running after other things that will perish while neglecting eternal life...

Or you're so busy with the cares and necessities of life, you've lost sight of God and eternity...

All the great athlete I've mentioned regardless of their accomplishments, only pursued a perishable crown.... But we an imperishable.
 1 Cor 9:25
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.

The world and all that is in it is passing away, but he that does the will of God will live forever.

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all our faithful God will add all other things you need.

It is my prayer that at the end of our race, we can say like Paul

7 I have fought a good fight,  I have finished my RACE, I have kept the faith:   8 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 Tim 4:7

Unlike the worldly race, where only one wins, in this race of life , all who finishes or runs to the end, will get  a crown of life.

 May this be our experience in Jesus mighty name.