Young People's Group

“I Have Finished the Race”

by Mitchell Tan
March 01, 2018

PAUL’S EXAMPLE IN RUNNING THE RACE OF LIFE WELL

Life is like a race. How we run will determine the kind of finish we will have. The apostle Paul sought to be a very strong finisher. He made sure that the race he started in his life and ministry would be finished well. As he came towards the end of his life, he was able to write these words.

“I have finished the race”
2 Timothy 4:7

Paul is an excellent example of a servant of God who ran the race of life vigorously and completed it triumphantly. He found tremendous grace and strength from the Lord to do so. How did he go about running this race?

1. CONSIDERATION

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it for a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Paul considered carefully what it meant to live out his life and ministry to the Lord. He was impressed by the work that runners put in. He thought about it and used this analogy of a runner to determine how he should run. His focus was on winning the imperishable crown of life. With his focus on the end-point, he put in every effort to win this prize. He considered how the race should be won and the need to exercise self-control in all things.

2. CONSISTENCY

“Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty.”
1 Corinthians 9:26

The word “Therefore” in Greek has the idea of “Until now”. It means that Paul had been running in the same way until that point of time. There was much consistency on his part in running this race. It is easy to commence running in this race of life but it is hard to maintain consistency throughout. Paul was able to do this. He was so focused on the Lord and his prize that he maintained his consistency and sought to run this race with spiritual stamina and certainty.

3. COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW THROUGH

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord”
Acts 20:24

Paul also spoke to the Ephesian elders about finishing his race well. The Holy Spirit was testifying that he would face chains and tribulation in every city he went as he made his way to Jerusalem. And yet Paul was undeterred. He ran his race with hope, courage and commitment. He was not afraid to give up his life for the sake of the gospel. Nothing dissuaded him. He was determined to follow through with his race of life and to finish it with joy.

4. CULMINATION

“I have finished the race”
2 Timothy 4:7

The word “finished” brings across the idea of culmination. All that effort that Paul put into racing this race of life would culminate with his death. Of course, at this point of time when he wrote this epistle, he was obviously still very alive. But he knew his death was imminent. Paul was able to see the whole picture of his race of life from where he started, following through in being consistent and culminating his race by finishing well. Young people, let’s also seek to run this race of life with faith. Let’s seek to follow through and to finish it well as Paul did.

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