Finishing the Race

Looking ahead to the time of his departure from this life, the Apostle Paul told his spiritual son, Timothy, these words: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." It gives you a little insight on how he viewed his time here. To Paul, his life was a marathon and a fight -- a very short contest that demanded all that he had.

Out of the thousands of competitors at the Twin Cities Marathon yesterday, certainly a few must have had the Apostle's words on their minds. I spent the morning traveling along the route cheering my friend Mike along as he ran the 26.2 mile course. There were many who turned out to applaud the runners as they ran. The five of us -- Mike's parents, his two children and I -- went to mile 7, mile 14, and mile 22 to encourage Mike and feed him powerbars as he made his journey. I really enjoyed cheering the runners on as they pursued the prize -- a finisher's medalion and the immense satisfaction of running the course to completion.

There must have been many temptations to quit. Not the least of which was the downpour that fell around mile 7. It came down hard and runners had to pick their paths to avoid the puddles that formed in the road. Along with the rain, there was the soreness and downright pain that runners suffered. But most of them persevered, crossed the finish line and enjoyed a festive celebration on the capitol grounds with the friends who supported them. Mike crossed the line in three hours and 59 minutes -- 24 seconds ahead of his goal.

Reflecting on race day, I came away with two goals. One would be to run a marathon someday. The second is far more important, and that is to take on the Apostle Paul's view of life. It is a marathon that demands all that I have. Someday I will cross the finish line and take part in a wonderful celebration. On that Day, I want to be able to look back and say that, through God's grace I gave it everything I had. Lord, give me the strength to run strong until I cross the finish line!

. . . there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day. The Apostle Paul, 2 Timothy 4:8