Finish the Race

My mother was notorious for this.  When Christmas Day was over, it was time to move on. Undecorate the house and get it back in order.  By December 26 all of the boxes were back up in the attic or on shelves in the garage. I’ve actually seen her start taking down the tree after dinner on Christmas Day.  Mind you, this is the same women who once called me on my birthday in July, and in the conversation told me that she had finished her Christmas shopping.  I loved my Mama, but that’s just different, shall we say.

            Still, it is true that we are now focusing on different things.  The radio stations are no longer playing Christmas music.  The plays and shows are done. And we now turn our attention to 2024.  Just saying that out loud is strange.  2024.  Did you ever think you would make it that far?

            Mickey Mantle, the great Yankee baseball player, was once quoted to say, “If I’d known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself.”  I think he was onto something.  I’m sure my knees and back and hips would all feel better had I not subjected myself to the basketball court for all of those years.  But I have to tell you this.  I would do it again.  I enjoyed the competition and the training and the camaraderie of playing team sports.  I’ve rolled ankles and blown out knees, taken elbows to the face, and I’ve experienced the pain of losing. But it was worth it. 

            Paul, in several of his letters, likened the Christian faith to running a race.  He talked about the training and preparation necessary to enter the competition.  And he spoke about the crown, or the trophy that one could expect to receive at the end of the race.  In his final letter, 2 Timothy, he declared that he had, “fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.”  And he looked forward to the reward that awaited him in the future.

            We are still in the midst of the race. It is not a sprint, but a marathon. And it is long and hard. Still, we are to persevere. Keep at it. Don’t quit.  It will be worth it. God’s promises are true.  You can trust Him. Keep going.

            Happy New Year!