Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

In this passage, the Apostle Paul compares our life here on earth with running a race. As a runner, I’m always looking for Bible passages that mention running or races. When I prepare for a long race, I will train for several months: running, swimming and doing exercises. I also try to eat less junk food. When the day of the race arrives, my hope is to run the best race that I can.

I’ve never actually won a race – I’m not a particularly fast runner. Occasionally I have finished first in my age group, and the prize is usually something nice: a medal, or a ribbon. As Paul says, we all compete, but only one will win the race, and the winner’s prize is something perishable.

In our earthly, life-long race for the eternal prize, we are not competing against each other, but we all are striving to reach the same goal: God’s promise of salvation. There is no training for this race – we are in it from the beginning. And, as we live our lives, we need to stay aware of our goal and not to yield to earthly desires. As Paul says, we need to enslave our bodies, so that we are not distracted by things of the flesh. None of us would want to be disqualified from this race!

As we run our earthly race, some parts may seem easy and some may be very difficult, just like any race. But we can always rely on God for help as we run towards our goal.

Dear Lord, thank You watching over us as we run our earthly race. Please help us not to be distracted, but to stay focused on our goal of eternal life with You. Amen.

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

As a runner, I always keep an eye out for Bible passages that mention running or races, and this one caught my eye the last time I read Ecclesiastes. I like this verse because it seems to describe a lot of what we see here in our earthly lives, “under the sun,” as the writer says.

When we rely on our own abilities, the results are not always what we hope for, even if we are skilled or wise or strong or swift. Our best plans can sometimes go completely wrong. In our world, “time and chance” can make all of our wisdom or training or intelligence useless. It is only by relying on God that we can be sure that we will reach our goals.

I’ve run in many races over the years. On race day, when I line up with the other runners for the start, I know that no matter how much I’ve trained, what happens next is mostly out of my control – time and chance. So, before the start I pray that God will watch over all of us and keep us safe on the course, and that He will help me to make good decisions during the race and that I will run the best race that I can. I’m not a very fast runner, so there is very little chance of me winning the race, but with God’s help, it can be a great experience.

Dear Lord, thank You for all the skills and talents that you have given to us. Please help us to recognize the limits of our abilities, and help us to put our trust in You. Amen.

He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:29-31

As a runner, I always keep an eye out for passages in the Bible that mention running; I like this one a lot. Running can be a lot like life in general. Sometimes when I run it seems easy and I feel I can run for a long time, but other times it’s hard just to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Life can be very similar; some days are easy and fun but some days we just struggle, and there often seems to be no end in sight.

The part of this passage that really stands out to me is that God is there for us and He will give us power and renew our strength. When I struggle during a long race, sometimes I wonder, exactly why am I doing this? Wouldn’t it have been better to have slept late this morning instead?  But I know I can ask God for help and He will guide me and give me strength, just as he does in my everyday life.

As I write this, it’s been about a year since the Covid19 pandemic began. Like a lot of people, I’ve been working from home, wearing a mask when I go out, and following the guidelines. This pandemic is also like a long race; we seem to be making progress but the finish line is not yet in sight. Some days things go very well, but some days it’s a just a struggle to keep moving. But God is always there for us and we can go to Him and He will renew our strength and we can continue to “run and not be weary.”

Dear Lord, thank you for being there for us and loving us as we run our race here on earth.  Thank you for renewing our strength when we grow weary or faint. Please watch over us and guide us through this time of pandemic. Amen

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

There are several passages in the Bible that compare living our lives to running a race and this is my favorite one. Just as in life, a race can have parts where it is easy and fun, and parts where things can be difficult. And the goal is to reach the finish line. In a race this might mean a T-shirt, a finisher’s medal and perhaps a complimentary adult beverage, but as we live our lives, the ultimate goal is God’s promise of eternal life.

The word the I like the most in this passage is “perseverance.” To me, running with perseverance means running with determination and patience. It’s not really about physical ability but more about my mindset as I run. I try to deal with the challenges and distractions as they come up, and remain focused on what’s happening now. Or to put it another way, I try to “run the mile I’m in.” When I’m struggling during a long run and have to stop to walk for a while, perseverance is what gets me running again.

We also need to live our lives with perseverance. We need both patience and determination because there will be times when we struggle. And in the good times, we should be mindful of our goal and not get distracted. We need to be able to “run the mile we’re in” and not worry or get discouraged, but trust that God will help us finish our race and reach our heavenly goal.

Dear Lord, thank you for being there for us as we run our earthly race. Help us not to grow weary or faint of heart, but to run with perseverance and trust in You, secure in the knowledge that You love us. Amen.