RUNNING TO RECEIVE THE PRIZE…
Today’s New Covenant nugget is from 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NKJV)
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.
The Amplified Bible says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours!”
As I was meditating on this scripture, a phrase jumped out at me, “run in such a way…” how you run determines the outcome. ‘The prize’ is not for those who do the biggest things, or for those who ‘outwardly’ seem the most successful, it is for those who COMPLETE their God given assignments in life, and, if you are going to complete what the Lord has assigned you to do, you have to RUN IN SUCH A WAY that you can keep on running for a long time. You see, God’s assignments are lifelong assignments… they are marathons, not sprints!
There is an ultra-marathon in South Africa called the Comrades Marathon… it is 55 miles of running up and down mountains. Athletes currently have 12 hours to complete the course. When you run an ultra-marathon like the Comrades, you have to RUN DIFFERENTLY than if you were running a shorter race… ultra-marathons take a high level of fitness, and a huge amount of stamina, endurance and mental strength.
Comrades athletes talk about ‘the comrades shuffle’; instead of regular jogging, they ‘shuffle’, minimizing the ‘jolting’ effect of running… this ‘method’ of running together with a pace that can be maintained for many hours is very important. In addition, the Comrades Marathon is just that, a marathon where it is less about the individual, and more about teaming together and helping each other.
When it comes to our lives and our assignments from the Lord, we have to RUN IN SUCH A WAY as to win the prize from Jesus, for successfully doing what He has called and equipped us to do. In order to do that, we have to do things ‘the New Covenant way’. The New Covenant way is by GRACE, through FAITH, by HIS power, ability and might. His YOKE is EASY and His BURDEN is LIGHT… so, if something is hard and heavy, you are not doing it the New Covenant way!
Our ‘race’ is not measured in the same way that the world measures things… it is all about being Spirit led, doing WHAT the Spirit leads you to do, things WHEN He leads, HOW He leads, and WHO the Spirit leads you to do it with. The World may see some of our assignments as insignificant toward insignificant people or projects, but what God calls significant is different from what the World calls significant.
How are you running your race? Are you stressed out, discouraged, worn out, burnt out, frustrated, or on the verge of giving up? If so, you are NOT running THE RIGHT WAY… run differently! RUN IN SUCH A WAY that you can KEEP RUNNING for years to come! Pace yourself, nourish yourself spiritually and physically along the way, have fun doing what you are doing to keep your joy levels up, help others, and allow others to help you, and run by grace, through faith, not depending on your own strength or ability, but on the power and supernatural ability of Jesus! RUN IN SUCH A WAY to obtain the prize, in Jesus Name!
In His amazing love, Nick
