The Race that Matters

As a competitive swimmer for much of my life, I am used to training and competing against other swimmers.  

Each weekend, I looked forward to the swim meet and thrived to better my time, whether it be by a second or a millisecond. 

I trained many days a week, all for the race that awaited me.

There's a race that, as a Christian, we are all a part of.  

And rather than winning a title or prize that will not last, we are running this race with the prize being an eternity in heaven.  

Just as I had to train for my swimming, it is vital that we train for this race as well. 

This is no sprint... it's a marathon. 

We need to train in endurance, strength and the various "strokes" needed to get through each part of this race. 

1 Corinthians 9: 24-26

Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize?  So run to win!  All athletes are disciplined in their training.  They do it to win a  prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.  So I run with purpose in every step.  I am not just shadowboxing.

Now we know that there is only one winner in each race.  

We need to run this race in the same way we would run a race with one winner. 

Like you want to win!

This is not a race you run once a week on Sundays, 

This is not a race you can "fake" your training, 

This is the race that matters the most.  

So race with purpose and show that it matters.