Dear Boys & Girls,
Remember the last time you ran a race, it may have been in school, perhaps at the school sports on sports day. Today I want you to remember what it was like to run in that race.
There was a certain way and a certain distance that you had to run; there was a "course" set out for you; there was a "finishing post"; there was a prize for the winner, of course; and there were those who stood around and watched you and cheered you on until you had finished the race. Listen to what the Bible says at one part: – "Therefore", it says, "seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses … let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith".
The Apostle Paul, when he wrote these words, was reminding the people to whom he was writing what it was like at the annual sport's day in their city. There were the runners out there on the track, and the crowds of people would be in the "stands" cheering them on as they neared the finishing post. The winner of the race would be given a crown made out of laurel leaves, and as he would stand up with the crown on his head, all the people in the arena would cheer because he had finished the course so well. That's what our Christian life is like.
The Apostle Paul is saying in those words that we read above. Our Christian life is like a "a race"; and "seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses"; in other words, boys and girls, "because we are surrounded by a whole lot of spectators who are watching us – then, let us run well the race that is set before us". How? Well, boys and girls, there is only one way to run in the Christian race, and this is by "looking unto Jesus". By believing in Jesus and trusting in Jesus. Make sure boys and girls, that you finish the Christian race.
