Race of Faith
“Winning horse doesn’t know why it runs in the race. It runs because of beats and pains. The larger you get pain, the stronger you achieve. Life is a race, win it. “
Yesterday, I received this SMS, which urged me to ponder on the race that we run.
Is it the ‘survival of the fittest’ race in the corporate jungle? Or is it the race of
patience and endurance that focuses on the end of the race?
Christian life is a race. It’s a race of faith. Here the contestants are people washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, gifted with the precious jewel of salvation and set in their tracks to run the race and reach the finish line. Here the criterion is not about who reaches first, but who reaches the finish line without losing the ‘salvation’ jewel. That precious jewel can be lost while running the race, if we sidetrack.
Thank God, unlike the ‘Winning horse’ mentioned in the SMS; we know the reason why we are in the race. The goal is Jesus Himself - to be with Him in the heavens forever. Moreover, we don’t run the race because of beats and pains; but we run with the heavenly hope of receiving the crown of life. Even so, we have ‘cheer leaders’ and supporters (angelic beings, fellow Christians and above all the Holy Spirit - who resides in us) to enable us to run with grace and strength.
On the other side, Sweet Jesus, the King of kings is holding the reward for the winners! In this race there can be millions of winners, but a certain reward exists for all who finish with the ‘salvation’ jewel. Oh, that’s really encouraging. isn’t it? So, “looking unto the author and finisher of our faith – Jesus, let us run the race.”
Praise God!!
The Journey
Acts 9:3 –As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
- For Moses, it was the burning bush.
- For Peter, it was walking on water.
- For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, it was walking through the burning furnace untouched.
- For Paul, it was being blinded and spoken to by Jesus on the Damascus road.
- For Daniel, it was deliverance from the lions’ den.
- For Joshua, it was parting the Jordan River and crossing into the Promised Land.
There have been many defining moments in the lives of human beings that changed their lives forever. These defining moments often set the course for the balance of their lives.
We could go on and on. Each of these servants had years of preparation leading up to their defining moment. These moments forced the servants to be involved in something beyond their human experiences. It took them outside their own paradigms of life. God had to move them outside their own boxes. And when He did, their lives were never the same.
You may be in one of three stages of life: You may not have had your “defining moment” yet – God may be preparing you with many important life experiences. You may have had your defining moment and you are living out your call. Or, you may be toward the end of your journey and you have already experienced what I speak of.
We are all called to a relationship with God; and we are all called vocationally, which is often ushered in by a defining moment. And there can be more than one defining moment, each pointing you down a path that God foreordained from the foundation of the world. The secret of a great life is often a man’s ability to discern the defining moments given to him, understanding them, and learning to walk in the path that leads him to his ultimate destination.
Once you have had a defining moment, you are never the same. Pray that you have eyes to see and ears to hear when your Master brings a defining moment into your life.
Job or Jesus?
Last night I was reading about a judge who had to judge a Judge!!. It was interesting but disappointing. It was a case about a man, sorry God, sorry God-Man.
Yes! you’ve got it, it was about Jesus. Am talking to you about the trail of Jesus. Some one said it was Pilate who was facing the trail. True.
Pilate had to make a decision. A choice. Pilate had to choose between Truth and Lie, Way and Broad way, Life and Death.
In short, he had to choose between his JOB and JESUS.
He knew that if he didn’t crucify Jesus, he had to crucify his Job. If he didn’t satisfy the crowd, they will throw him out of his job. And for him Jesus was not as important as His Job. Am I striking a cord in some ones heart?
In this IT era, oh how we love our job. We are proud of it. We talk about it. We spend most of our time working. Most of us live for our Job.
Should we not love Jesus alone? Should we not be proud of Jesus alone? Should we not spend most of our time with Jesus?. Should we not live for Him?
Pilate had to make a choice! Pilate tried 5 times to deliver Jesus. Jesus was silent. The crowd said Crucify Him. I suppose the silence of Jesus was louder than the crowd’s uproar. Bible says “their” voice prevailed.
In spite of knowing the truth, he chose not to choose and ultimately choose his Job over Jesus.
Yes we too have crowd saying choose your Job. Honor it. Love it. Job is your life.
But we have to choose. Don’t let your Job rule you.
Did Pilate ever regret his decision? We don’t know.
But for sure you will, if you don’t Choose Jesus over your Job.
Whom do you serve, Jesus or your Job?
Remember you can only serve ONE!!!
by the Prodigal Son