At the end of last year, my oldest decided he wanted to run his first marathon. He developed a training schedule and then proceeded to prepare for the race. He kept track of his weekly mileage and followed his plan each day. This spring, we traveled with him to Dallas where he ran all 26.2 miles.
I’m not a runner, so watching my son accomplish this goal was remarkable. We met him at different spots along the race route to cheer him on. My youngest tagged along with him at the final stretch. We were thrilled he finished the race well.
I couldn’t help but think of my son’s marathon when I recently taught on Philippians in our women’s Bible study at church. In Philippians 3, Paul speaks against Judaizing Christians who were teaching that circumcision was necessary for salvation. He goes on to talk about putting confidence in Christ rather than in the flesh, or in one’s circumcision. While Paul had every reason to boast and put confidence in his Jewish heritage, his training in the law, his religious upbringing, he instead says he counts all these things as rubbish in order than he would gain Christ (v.8). What he wanted more than anything else was, “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (v. 10).
Paul then tells the Philippians that he has not yet achieved this; he hasn’t yet attained his goal. He is not perfect. But he is pressing forward. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (vv.12-14).
Like a runner training for a race, Paul keeps his mind focused on his goal, not looking behind him, but ahead of him. He is in pursuit of the prize of “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” That upward call is a heavenly summons. A heavenly calling. That calling is part of the golden chain of salvation: “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30). He uses words like “straining forward” and “press on,” which are active words. They make me think of a runner running those last few miles of a race. They are exhausted, but they press on in order to finish.
For the church at Philippi, Paul’s words must have been encouraging. Here is the Apostle Paul, one with an amazing pedigree, pointing out that he is not perfect. Even more, he reminds them that his goal won’t be reached because of some perfection within himself, but because of what Christ has done, “I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Unlike other races we may run in life, the race of faith has already been won for us by Jesus Christ, our Savior. We merely live out what is already true. We run forward to receive the prize already waiting for us at the finish line.
Paul encourages the Philippians—and you and I—to keep striving forward. To stay in the race. To not look to the past, but to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. He tells us elsewhere to run the race like we mean it—not casually, but with intentionality. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it” (1 Cor. 9:24). Like my son setting his running goals each day, and diligently training for the marathon, we ought to take our race of faith seriously. We ought to run with determination to receive the prize we’ve already won through Jesus Christ.
The Apostle then reminds us that we don’t run this race alone. There are others who are ahead of us, who’ve run the race far longer than we. Paul tells us to look at these believers and imitate them, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (v.17). These racers can point out the dangers on the path, help us up when we’ve fallen, and urge us onward when we get discouraged. Like my youngest son who jumped into the race to encourage his brother in the last mile, we need fellow believers who don’t just cheer us on from the sidelines, but who will also turn back and help us along when we need it.
While I don’t run in physical races, I do run in a spiritual race. Paul’s words to the church in Philippi remind me how important this race is and encourages me to keep training, to keep running, to keep straining to receive the prize Christ has already won for me.
Are you running too?
