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Running the Race

by Jerry Ousley  
2/10/2012 / Christian Living

As a child one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons was none other than "Tom Slick." He was a race car driver who nearly always won the race but he did so at grave peril from the bad guy (I believe his name was Dastardly Dan). I suppose the story was pretty much the "same old same old" but I enjoyed it and longed to be like Tom Slick. I could just see myself speeding around the track, passing the other vehicles, and doing battle with old Dastardly Dan! That infamous character had all kinds of tricks up his sleeve like sharp pointed knives that extended from his axles and through the center of his rims to cut the tires on opponents vehicles, oil slicks coming from the back of his car to make other drivers spin out of control and off the track, and if all else failed he would manage to kidnap Tom's girlfriend, Penelope Pitstop. That always got Tom back on track and somehow he would rescue his fair racing maiden and win the race too! What a guy!

In life we are all in a race. We not only race to be successful, race to get what we want, and race physically whether that be in a vehicle of some sort, on skates, or running on foot, but we also are in a fierce spiritual race. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus; not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." That pretty well sums it all up doesn't it? In our natural life if we are running in a race there can only be one winner. If we are serious about winning then we make sure that we have conditioned our bodies, eaten the right foods, wear the correct clothing and do all those things that will give us the best chance at winning. We are temperate and moderate in all things to keep ourselves in shape. I'm always in awe of those who compete in triathlons, and iron man races; what a grueling experience it must be. You talk about being in shape now those folks are in shape! Me? The closest thing I get to a triathlon is when the commercial break comes on and I make a mad dash to the restroom, make another pit stop at the frig for a cold coke or something and grab a bag of popcorn on the way back to my recliner all before the break ends. Now that's a triathlon!

Paul also reminded us that those who compete in a race here on earth compete for a perishable reward. Regardless if that's a trophy or a crown (which was the winner's award in Paul's time) it can one day perish. But we run for an imperishable crown; one that will last throughout eternity! That's why the Apostle also said that he didn't run with uncertainty. In other words he had no doubt about his ability or what the goal was. He was staying in spiritual shape and staying on course for his home in Heaven.

As with any race there are obstacles along the way. They don't have to come in the form of a Dastardly Dan but they can. There are hurdles to jump and other things that may get in our way. The devil becomes our Dastardly Dan. He's always throwing down an oil slick to put us off course. He's there to constantly thwart us in our attempt to win our race. And if all else fails he will find a way to take something or someone from us just like the cartoon Dastardly Dan did with Tom Slick's precious Penelope Pitstop. But we can't let him stop us. This is the race of our lives. The reward is way too important to let him throw us off course or keep us from finishing. That's also why Paul said that he fought accurately, not as someone just throwing punches into empty air. He was always bringing himself into check, disciplining his body and bringing it under subjection. He did this to make sure that even though he preached the Gospel, at the end he wouldn't find himself disqualified from the race.

So too we must follow his example. Constantly measure your actions against the Bible. Bring yourself under subjection to the Lord, Jesus Christ. When you do you will be fit to cross the finish line and the reward that awaits is one that is beyond your wildest imagination!

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.? Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.

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