“…and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…”
A good start is vitally important in a race. When the runners go to the starting line they position themselves in the blocks and await the sound of the gun. Every muscle is tense and ready to go at the signal. “On your mark…get set…” A bad start can have devastating consequences. Any pause or delay can change the results at the finish. But, did you know, you don’t get points for a good start. There is not a ribbon for “Best Start”. You have to run the race to the finish to even be considered for a reward. That being said, the finish is what counts. Many have had great starts but stopped before the finish line. They quit. For one reason or another they did not finish. Maybe they were distracted by other things. Maybe they lost interest in the race they were running. Maybe they were injured along the way and could not recover. Maybe they became overwhelmed with fear and just froze up. Maybe they just got tired of running and walked off the course.
There is no shortage of excuses to quit running the “race marked out before us”. The Bible encourages us to “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9). The Scripture we have been looking at challenges us to run the race with perseverance. This means “Keep on going”. Don’t quit! Run it to the end. We will always be tempted to give up. Things get hard sometimes. In the running world they call it “The Wall”. It is the point in the race when you reach the end of what you think you can do. It is when you have to make a choice…to run or not to run. It is the point that determines if you are going to push through…persevere…finish.
Most of us can remember the start of our “race” called faith. It was a life transforming experience. Maybe at the altar during a youth retreat. Maybe it was a quiet moment at your bedside when you gave your life over to the Lord. Old things passed away, forgiveness was experienced and the starting gun sounded as you were born again! What a great start!
Likewise, most of us have already encountered the temptation to quit. We get distracted…weary…angry…hurt…tired…and we want to quit. In my life endeavors I have discovered that I am a much better starter than finisher. I have often needed the encouragement of others saying, “run with perseverance the race set before you”. Our Scripture tells us that we have a cloud of who are doing just that for you.