“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. 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.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)

A wise man once told me that, “life is all that happens between now and when your dreams start.” This little nugget was dropped on me when I was still in high school, and that wise man was my father. I was so stuck in the future, trying to make these big things happen for my life, that I was waffling in my current state of being a high school student. I had this vision for my life that did not include anything that school could provide – or so I thought. And my dad was quick to point out that this star gazing was causing me to miss out on real experiences in the now.  I think the Apostle Paul was hinting at something similar in today’s verses. We all know that Jesus won the battle, Amen!!!  We have also heard that Christianity is a marathon. And while finishing the race and being with God in heaven is the true prize, we still need to run the race today. So we train, and we train hard. We read and study scripture and apply it, we pray through our struggles, and repent when we fall. These are the tools, used by runners today (now – not later), that win the race. We have a God appointed marathon to win, and the way we run it is important. Not only to us, but to those around us too. So to bring this all together, we know that living for Jesus is the Christian marathon. And while our future is secure in Christ,  don’t let the hurdles of life stop you from completing the marathon, apply your training, and keep running.