WINNING THE RACE

YOU CAN'T MAKE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS BY LOOKING BACK

Read: Hebrews 12: 1-6

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Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us - Hebrews 12:1
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On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister became the first man in history to run a 

mile in less than 4 minutes. 

Within 2 months, John Landy eclipsed the record by 1.4 seconds. On August

 7, 1954, the two met together for a historic race. As they moved into the last 

lap, Landy held the lead. It looked as if he would win, but as he neared the 

finish he was haunted by the question, "Where is Bannister?"

 As he turned to look, Bannister took the lead. Landy later told a Time magazine

 reporter, "If I hadn't looked back, I would have won!"

One of the most descriptive pictures of the Christian life in the Bible is of an 

athlete competing in a race. 1st Corinthians 9:24-27 tells us that discipline is 

the key to winning. In Hebrews 12:1-2, we are encouraged to lay aside

anything that might hinder our spiritual advancement and to stay focused on Christ. 

And in Philippians 3: 12-13, the apostle Paul said, "I press on,... forgetting those 

things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead."

Lord, give us endurance as we run this race of life. Help us not to wallow in past 

failures, but to be disciplined and to shun sinful ways. May we fix our eyes on the

eternal goal set before us and keep looking unto Jesus. - HGB

Run the straight race through God's good grace,

Lift up thine eyes and seek His face;

Life with its way before us lies,

Christ is the path and Christ the prize. Monsell