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Paul loved to use racing images
for our journey as disciples. In 1
Corinthians 9:24 he says, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run,
but {only} one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.”
This metaphor dear and close to my
heart. My greatest goal in my life, personally, is to finish the race
well. As a pastor I watch with sober
interest the fall of other pastors. Men
who run well but do not finish well. It
terrifies me.
By God’s grace I want to run the
whole race and at the end to thrust my chest out and cross the finish line
strong, falling wholly into the arms of my Father.
This was and is my goal, but I
found that it was incomplete. Because of
the long term implications I found I fell into the thinking that this race is a
marathon and so we must therefore pace ourselves. No one sprints a marathon. And that makes sense… from the flesh’s
perspective. I can, in the flesh,
accomplish a spiritual looking race that is all about safety and logical
strategic planning. But that race will
glorify me.
The Christian who lives by the
Spirit need not subscribe to the logic of the flesh and so therefore I now
choose to sprint this marathon. To daily
turn to the cross and run with all of my might.
Why? Because it’s
impossible. And if we run in such a way
that no man can run then only God can receive the glory and we race by faith.
Sprinting is not akin to
busyness. Sprinting can be accomplished
in the quiet mountain retreat where we turn our hearts and prays to God in
solitude. Sprinting can be playing catch
with your child and revealing the heart of the Heavenly Father. But whether in the fray or in repose we
sprint for His glory and nothing less.
“Therefore, since we have so
great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every
encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
The Sprint For Glory
Sweep this temple clean again,
make it fit for a savior
Wash me in the flood,
restore my value of the blood
Let Calvary have my flesh,
I want Your breath
Let me sprint to you, and never pace
That all who watch will see your face
And say this must be true
He ran and he won, in you
Head down to the task at hand,
eyes fixed on the Son of Man
Clothed in His righteousness,
cast off rags of sin and flesh
Feet don’t fail me we’re not staying here
I am a foreign man I am an alien
Feet be swift now, heed your master’s voice
I’m running home, I’m running home
Sweep this temple clean again,
make it fit for a savior
Wash me in the flood,
restore my value of the blood
Let Calvary have my flesh,
I want Your breath
Let me sprint to you, and never pace
That all who watch will see your face
And say this must be true
He ran and he won, in you
Held firm in a dying land,
secure in the Shepherd’s hand
None can snatch me from this mighty grace,
that love’s the fire in this pilgrim’s race
Feet don’t fail me we’re not staying here
I am a foreign man I am an alien
Feet be swift now, heed your master’s voice
I’m running home, I’m running home
Sweep this temple clean again,
make it fit for a savior
Wash me in the flood,
restore my value of the blood
Let Calvary have my flesh,
I want Your breath
Let me sprint to you, and never pace
That all who watch will see your face
And say this must be true
He ran and he won, in you
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