Deep Words
A race can be defined as the in-put of energy on a desired purpose. Here, race is classified into two categories (I) Earthly race: under which you have the following: Boxing, Wrestling, Business, and school examination, etc. (II) Kingdom race: this has its place in the spiritual life, that is, in relationship with the following: serving and obeying Christ. To any of the two kinds of race, there are rules and principles guiding the participant, a required costume, and any of the two kinds of race will have a price accredited to one’s account having walked in agreement with the laid down principles. One, an incorruptible crown and the other a corruptible crown, they both call for discipline to achieve them.
“Do you not know that in a race, not all the runners, but only one gets the price. So, run in such a way to get the prize”. Everyone who competes in the game goes into strict training, but we do to get the crown that will last forever” (1Corinthians 9:24-25).
Kingdom Race: Is not for all, it is only for the children of the Kingdom, Born again (John 3:3).
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again”. Whosoever accepts Christ as his personal Savior, confesses and repents of his sins, so automatically becomes a registered candidate of the Kingdom race.
The Track: To run the race you need a track; the world we are in is our track (John 17:15). My prayer is not that you take them but that you protect them from the world. They are not of the world even as I am not of it.
Costume: The righteousness of Christ is our garment (Matthew 22:12). “But when the king came in to see the guest, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
The strength of all runners: The Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26) “in the same way the spirit helps us in our weakness….” all race runners are subjected to rigorous training to keep the body and mind in shape.
(I). School Examination: A student goes into sleepless night, burning the candle at the two ends undergoing extra lesson in addition to school lesson, keeping off from all unprofitable activities in order to win a crown that will not last.
(II). Boxers & Wrestlers: They embark on rigorous training of the body. Shedding excesses obtained from starchy foods, all for the sake of corruptible crown. If all runners of earthly race would sacrifice that much to win a corruptible crown how much more, are we that are registered for an in-corruptible crown.
“Do not run like a man running aimlessly”. Do not fight like a man beating the air, beat your body and make it a slave. As we all know knowledge is power, an understanding of the race we are into, the value and the beauty of the crown that awaits us, will prove and empower us for the race.
The following are the eye-openers – let us run with perseverance the race marked before us (Hebrews 12:1): except a man has this fruits of the spirit in him he cannot get to the end. We are bound to come across ups and downs of life, temptations, tribulations, persecution in the race of life. Esau could not persevere hunger, so he sold his birth-right for a single meal (Hebrews 12:16,17). Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind though he sought the blessing with tears.
(III). Let us fix our eyes on the author and the perfecter of our faith… refuse to shift focus for any reason (Numbers 21:9). So, Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then, when anyone was bitten by a snake and look at the bronze snake, he lived. As many as shifted, died in the wilderness.
(IV). Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. This can only be obtained by the Holy Spirit; it is not by might.
The Prize: Eternity is a blissful place- (Revelation 3:21). “To him who overcomes, I will give right to sit with me on my throne”.
Now that you have in-sight of the kind of business, the value and the crown, why not increase your input and seriousness by walking in the laid down principles (Hebrews 12:1-4).
Throw off everything that hinders and sin that so easily entangles. Remember that no serving soldier entangles himself with worldly affairs that displeases the commanding officer. You cannot serve two masters – you either love one and hate the other. Whosoever loves the world, the love of the father is not in him, these are God’s words from various passages of the scripture.
Modupe Ajayi
