Finishing Strong




On Saturday, I ran in my second half marathon. My goal was to finish better than my first one. A few weeks ago, I set my mind on finishing no later than 2 hours 30 minutes; I race my first half marathon in 2 hours 41 minutes back in August 2008. The morning of the race, that time changed in my mind to 2 hours 25 minutes. I started off well with averaging 10 minutes a mile. As I was running, I hit the wall that all runners hit. I hit it after 9 miles. I had to dig into myself and push through. When I made it to the finished line, I saw that I finished the race at 2 hours 23 minutes. This is 18 minutes faster than my first half marathon. I was stoked.

Every race I run, I want to finish strong. I don’t want to walk the last part of it or walk over the finish line. I want to run through the finish line. As most races, on Saturday the passage of scripture came to mind that Paul wrote in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” I also thought of Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Just as my desire to finish strong in the road race, I want to finish strong in the Christian race. I want to hear, “Well done good and faithful servant” out of my Lord’s mouth. When my race is over and I breathe my last breath, I want to be running the Christian race as strong and fast as I have since the day God drew me to Himself.