“Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” ( Mathew 5:24)

Everyone loves to win a medal. In his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul alluded to how great track and field athelete win medals. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” ( I Cor 9:24). Here, Paul, is reminding us never lose sight of the fact that in the Christian life, we are in a race, eagerly expecting a prize, at the end of our earthly journey.

Paul gives us a number of tips quite useful to win this race. First, he points out the importance of discipline. “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” ( vv 25). We need to practice spiritual discipline to win the Christian race.

Another equally deserving tip is focus. “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air” ( vv 27). Today, one thing we can count on is there is no shortage of distractions. Here, it could be social media or fascination with some sports; but everyone knows that new lure which takes all his time. To win the Christian race, one must be careful to sort out what matters and focus on the real stuff, perhaps best pointed out elsewhere by Paul, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” ( Col 3:2).

Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, just like an athlete who trains to compete in a race, for the glory of a prize, I pray that you help me focus, train and discipline my life, for the ultimate prize of eternal life, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.