Run to Win!
Training for a marathon is one of the most physically demanding activities you can willingly put yourself through. It demands daily discipline and commitment in nearly every facet of your life just to be able to finish. And when race day finally comes, you want to finish the race strong but sometimes, that just doesn’t happen. During the 2023 London Marathon, a runner approaching the end of the race began to double over and was on the verge of collapsing. Other participants whizzed by him as he stumbled, but before he fell to the ground, another runner came alongside him, grabbed his arm, and held the faltering runner steady enough to keep going. Shortly after, another person came up on the man’s other side and together, the three runners made their way to the finish line. When it comes to marathons, coming in first is only one component of the race. For most people, “winning” means finishing, and with the 2023 London Marathon, it wasn’t the first-place runner who is remembered. It was this struggling runner and those who helped him who are remembered. Though these three guys didn’t finish first, they were the winners on that day. In 1st Corinthians 9:24 (NLT), Paul writes “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” Sisters and brothers, “Run to Win!” But what does this look like in our Christian lives? Is Paul teaching us that the Christian life is a cutthroat competition with only one winner so it better be you?! Clearly not. But if not, then how do we “Run to Win”? Maybe the illustration of a marathon helps us with this question. Maybe winning means living in such a way that we finish the race while bringing others along with us. Are you in spiritual shape to run this way? Have you disciplined yourself to run this way? Are your strides a help to others in their race or a hindrance?
We invite you to come join us this Sunday morning for our in-person worship service at Leptondale Bible Church in Newburgh, starting at 10:55 AM. For those unable to attend, our service can be viewed live on the church’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/leptondalebiblechurch. This Sunday, we’ll continue a sermon series from 1st Corinthians titled “Written for Our Instruction” with a message from 1st Corinthians 9:24-10:13 titled “Run to Win!”
God bless!
Pastor Mike