Running With Endurance and Expectation

March 5, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹³Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, ¹⁴knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

¹⁶So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 ESV

What Paul taught, he fully believed, and his belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ is what fueled his ministry and personal life. It was also his firm, unwavering belief in the reality of our future redemption and glorification that motivated all his efforts. Quoting from Psalm 116:10, Paul says, “I believed, and so I spoke.” To understand why Paul chose this particular verse from this particular psalm, it is essential to recall what Paul has been discussing with the Corinthians.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. – 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 ESV

In these three verses, Paul describes the nature of his earthly ministry that was difficult and, at times, dangerous. No doubt, Paul chose to quote from Psalm 116 because it had become near and dear to his heart during those many times of trials and troubles. The second part of the verse he quoted reveals that this psalm carried special meaning for Paul.

I believed, even when I spoke:
“I am greatly afflicted” – Psalm 116:10 ESV

Even during his times of difficulty, Paul’s cries of despair were driven by his belief in God. The psalmist shared Paul’s faith in the sovereignty and compassionate mercy of God.

I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live. – Psalm 116:1-12 ESV

For you have delivered my soul from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling;
I will walk before the Lord
    in the land of the living. – Psalm 116:8-9 ESV

What shall I render to the Lord
    for all his benefits to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name of the Lord,
I will pay my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people. – Psalm 116:12-14 ESV

Paul had experienced the mercy of God not only in his conversion but also in the everyday struggles of life. His awareness of the Lord’s constant and compassionate intervention became part of the message he shared with others. He wanted them to know that his efforts on their behalf were motivated by his firm belief in the Lord’s providential involvement in his life.

He assures the Corinthians that his ministry among them was done for their sake.

All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. – 2 Corinthians 4:15 NLT

The greater good of men and the glory of God were what motivated his efforts. And it was these two things that prevented him from losing heart or becoming discouraged, no matter how much difficulty he faced.

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. – 2 Corinthians 4:16 NLT

Paul could relate to the reflections of the psalmist.

How kind the Lord is! How good he is!
    So merciful, this God of ours!
The Lord protects those of childlike faith;
    I was facing death, and he saved me.
Let my soul be at rest again,
    for the Lord has been good to me. – Psalm 116:5-7 NLT

Paul was buoyed by the mercy and grace of God. He believed in God’s presence and trusted in His power. Yes, his body was dying, and he knew what it was like to suffer physically as he performed his ministry, but he found hope in the knowledge that God was with him in this life and would one day reward him with eternal life. From Paul’s perspective, his suffering was nothing more than “light momentary affliction” (2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV). In the grand scheme of things, the trials of this life were small and of limited duration, “Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT).

He chose to view his earthly struggles from a positive, rather than a negative, perspective. They would be short-lived but have a long-lasting influence on his life. In his letter to the believers in Rome, he reminded them that their temporal suffering was nothing when compared with the future glory God had in store for them.

…if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. – Romans 8:17-19 NLT

Suffering precedes glory. Jesus believed it and demonstrated it in His own life. He endured the cross before He received the crown. That is why He promised that this life would have its difficulties (John 16:33), but He also assured us that this life is not all there is; there is more to come. And it was Paul’s belief in the reality of the resurrection and its guarantee of our future redemption that kept him going.

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. – 2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT

It is our faith in the future that gives us strength in the present. Having a future-focused faith keeps us from fixating on our troubles and trials, as if they are reality and heaven is nothing more than a fantasy. Paul reminds us, “the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT).

Like a runner who keeps his eyes on the finish line, we are to run the race of life with endurance. We must be willing to suffer the pains and difficulties associated with this world because we believe the reward at the end of the race will be well worth the effort.

The writer of Hebrews provides us with some powerful words of motivation:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. – Hebrews 12:1-4 NLT

Father, too oftern I buy into the enemy’s life that this life is all there is. Even though I believe in the promise of the resurrection and the reality of eternal life, I find myself trying to turn this world into my personal “heaven.” I want to experience all the abundant life Your Son promised but I want it now. and on my own terms. Then, when things don’t turn out quite the way I expected, I find myself questioning Your goodness or doubting Your promises. I end up inflating the light momentary afflictions I face and forgetting about the future glory that awaits me. I take my eye off the prize and forget why I was running the race to begin with. Help me to maintain my focus and remember that I am running with a destination in mind. There is an end to this race, and the reward will far outweigh any pain and suffering I may have to endure along the way. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Misdirected Effort

June 18, 2019October 17, 2019 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹²Not 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. ¹³Brothers, 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, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

¹⁷Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. ²⁰But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. – Philippians 3:12-21 ESV

As we saw in yesterday’s post, our faith in Christ is meant to be practical and visible. It should show up in the way we live our lives and give proof of the Spirit’s presence within us. Our faith can manifest itself in the fruit of the Spirit flowing out from us and through the supernatural abilities with which He has gifted us. Leading and loving are both evidence of the Spirit’s presence. His power can show up in the capacity to provide spiritual nourishment to God’s people or by meeting their physical needs with food, clothing, and shelter. But regardless of what we do, we are to recognize that we do it in the strength of the Spirit of God and for the glory of God. As Peter puts it…

If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. – 1 Peter 4:11 BSB

But there is another important factor that should influence what we do, and Paul addresses it in his letter to the believers in Philippi.

There is little debate over the fact that Paul was a man on a mission. He was driven. He was almost obsessive-compulsive in his desire to obey the command of Christ to carry the gospel message to the Gentiles. He had done so in the face of all kinds of obstacles, including shipwreck, beatings, a stoning, hunger, thirst, imprisonment, and constant opposition to his message and ministry. But, like the Energizer Bunny, he just kept going and going. But why? What was his motivation? How did he manage to maintain his enthusiasm and not lose hope when faced with constant threats to his life and unceasing attacks on the churches he had worked so hard to plant?

He provides us with the answer in the third chapter of his letter to the Philippians. And it is in the form of a personal glimpse into his own approach to his spiritual life and ministry.

First of all, Paul admits that he’s a work in process. He’s not some kind of religious rock star or spiritual superhero. In fact, he confesses to the Philippians, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection” (Philippians 3:12 NLT). When it came to spiritual maturity, Paul flatly denied that he had “arrived.” Instead, he tells the Philippians, “I press on.” Then he claims to be “straining forward to what lies ahead.” Paul had an objective in mind. But what was it? Was he attempting to achieve a state of fully realized spiritual maturity in this life? Did he believe that he could somehow work his way toward sinless perfection this side of heaven?

The answer to those questions is “No.” Look closely at his choice of words. He said that he was “straining forward to what lies ahead.” He claimed to be pressing on “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul had an objective in mind. He lived with a sense of purpose that was based on a well-defined outcome or destiny. Some might say that Paul lived with his eyes set on heaven, but I think there was more to it than that. Look at how he describes his goal for living.

My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. – Philippians 3:10-11 NET

Paul had been around long enough to know that the Christian life, this side of heaven, was going to be marked by suffering. But he also knew that the end result of any suffering we experience in this life was nothing when compared to our future glorification or resurrection. Which is exactly what he told the believers in Rome:

…what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. – Romans 8:18 NLT

For Paul, this life was temporary. It was a path that led to a preferred future in a much better environment. And he lived with the reality of that future constantly on his mind and permanently in his line of sight.

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. – Philippians 3:20-21 NLT

Paul lived with the end in mind. He viewed the Christian life like a race or a journey. In a race, each runner has his eye focused on the finish line. They share a common objective. Every one of them is running with the finish line as their final goal. Everyone can’t win, but they all need to run in order to complete the course. And Paul used this racing analogy to encourage the Corinthian believers.

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! – 1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT

Paul was a man who ran to win. He understood the reason behind Jesus’ calling of him. Yes, he had been called to be an apostle, a messenger of the good news of Jesus Christ. But more importantly, he had been called so that one day he might experience the sinless perfection promised to him by Jesus Christ and made possible by His sacrificial death on the cross. This is why Paul said, “I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” (Philippians 3:12 NLT). Glorification is God’s goal for every believer, so it should be our goal as well. We should settle for nothing less than that for which Jesus Christ died, our ultimate transformation into His likeness, complete with a glorified body and a sinless, perfectly holy character.

This entire passage is like a donut. Verses 12-17 and 20-21 surround verses 18-19. Those two verses in the middle form a kind of hole in the passage in which Paul places a negative example for the Philippians to avoid. In verse 17, Paul invites the Philippians to imitate him and to learn from anyone else in the church who follows his example. But then he warns of another group within the church whose behavior was not to be emulated. He describes these people in harsh terms, calling them “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18 ESV). That’s not exactly politically correct terminology. But Paul sees these individuals as dangerous because their behavior was actually anti-gospel. Their lives were focused on the wrong thing. Rather than fixing their eyes on the prize to come, they were looking to enjoy all their blessings in this life. That is what Paul means when he states that “their god is their belly” (Philippians 3:19 ESV). They were all about satisfying their physical desires and appetites. They wanted “the good life” in this life, not the one to come. They wanted heaven on earth.

Rather than recognizing that Jesus had died so that they might live with the end in mind, with their hopes focused on their future glorification, they preferred to live in the moment. They lived with their minds set on earthly things, rather than as citizens of heaven. And Paul states that “their end is destruction” (Philippians 3:19 ESV). In other words, what they had chosen to pursue was not going to produce what they were expecting.

But Paul reminds the Philippians that their citizenship is in heaven. That is their destiny and their final destination. But Paul is emphasizing much more than a change of address. He is stressing a change that will take place in our nature.

He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own. – Philippians 3:21 NLT

That is the goal. That is the objective. That is what God has in store for each and every believer and Paul would have us live our lives with that end in mind. We will not achieve that glorious state in this life, but if that is what God has in store for us, shouldn’t we make that our life’s focus? Wouldn’t it make sense to run the race with the actual finish line in mind? If not, we will run aimlessly, focusing our energies on the wrong goals and wondering why the promised prize remains beyond our grasp.

Yes, we have been saved, but as Paul reminds us, “we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” He is coming back one day and He will finish what He started. He will complete what He began. And we are to live with that end in mind.

Time and Chance.

March 17, 2018April 3, 2018 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

⁷Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

⁸Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.

⁹Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. ¹⁰Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

¹¹Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. ¹²For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.

¹³I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. ¹⁴There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. ¹⁵But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.

¹⁷The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. ¹⁸Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. – Ecclesiastes 9:7-18 ESV

According to Solomon’s way of seeing things, there are two things that can make the life of man miserable and meaningless: Time and chance. He makes that clear in verse 11.

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. – Ecclesiastes 9:11 ESV

From his experience, these two things played irrefutable roles in the lives of men, determining the outcome of their lives far more often than ability, intelligence or preparedness. The fastest runner doesn’t always win. The most powerful army isn’t always the victor. Wisdom won’t necessarily put food on the table. A surplus of intelligence doesn’t guarantee wealth or success. And those with know-how aren’t always appreciated or given a chance to show what they know. Sometimes it’s all in the timing. Or it’s all a matter of chance. Things just happen. The faster runner trips and falls, leaving a slower runner to win. The wise go hungry. The weaker win. The one lacking discernment gets the promotion. It’s like a grand cosmic crap shoot, where no one knows how it is going to work out. It just happens. So, once again, Solomon offers up the sage advice to “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do” (Ecclesiastes 9:7 ESV). As we noted before, this is not a recommendation to embrace unbridled hedonism, or to spend your days in a drunken stupor. It is counsel designed to encourage the enjoyment of what you already have – your job, spouse, children, and life. Solomon knew what it was like to spend his life in pursuit of what he didn’t have. He had wisdom, but he wanted more. He had houses, but he built more. He had hundreds of wives and concubines, but always needed more. He spent so much time adding to his already overstocked life, that he never took time to enjoy what he had. So, writing the book of Ecclesiastes at the end of his life, he passed on what he had learned: To enjoy what you have while you have it. No one knows what tomorrow holds. In a sense, he is telling us to stop and smell the roses. And his advice is supported by a story Jesus told His disciples.

¹⁶Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. ¹⁷He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ ¹⁸Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. ¹⁹And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

²⁰“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

²¹“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12:16-21 NLT

There is a danger in always living with our hopes set on tomorrow. This doesn’t preclude planing for the future, but if we do plan, we should not short-change the present day. None of us know what tomorrow holds. In that sense, Solomon is right. But notice the emphasis behind the story Jesus told. His point is that the man in story was neglecting his relationship with God. He found his significance and satisfaction in things. And it was only when he thought he had enough, that he believed he could truly enjoy life. There is a certain dissatisfaction and discontentment portrayed in the man’s decision-making. And that same problem seemed to have plagued the life of Solomon.

But in his latter years, Solomon had learned the lesson of being satisfied with what he had. He recommends seeing your wife or husband as a gift from God and a reward for all your hard work in this life. He strongly advises that we take time to enjoy good food, the feel of clean clothes, and the fragrance of fine perfume. But there remains a certain sense of nagging pessimism in his words. He says, “Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 NLT). In other words, this is it. Enjoy it while you can. Because once you’re dead, you won’t get the opportunity again. Solomon never qualifies or clarifies his views on the hereafter, but he gives the distinct impression that he prefers the here-and-now. All his emphasis is on what he can see, touch, and feel. He was a man driven by his senses. Pleasure was important to him. Enjoyment was a high priority for him. And he seemed to operate on the premise that death would bring all of that to an abrupt stop. So, he learned to live in the present, taking in all that he could while he could. And what drove that mentality was the recognition that “man does not know his time” (Ecclesiastes 9:12 ESV). He compares man to a fish caught in a net or a bird trapped in a snare. When we least expect it, our end comes. Which led Solomon to resort to his quest for immediate gratification. He seems to have lived his life based on the old Schlitz Brewing Company slogan from the mid-1960s: “You only go around once in life, so you’ve got to grab for all the gusto you can.” But as Jesus warned, what a waste of time if you don’t seek a right relationship with God.

Solomon next provides us with a real-life example of wisdom on display, but unappreciated. He tells the story of a city that was besieged by a powerful army. The citizens of the city were few in number and their fate was sealed. But help and hope came from an unexpected source: A poor wise man. Notice Solomon’s emphasis. The man was wise, but poor. Remember Solomon’s earlier point: “The wise sometimes go hungry.” And yet, this man’s wisdom saved the day. We aren’t t old how, but this man used his wisdom to rescue the city from destruction. “But afterward no one thought to thank him” (Ecclesiastes 9:15 NLT). His efforts went unrecognized and unrewarded. And Solomon concludes, “even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long” (Ecclesiastes 9:16 NLT).

And what insight does Solomon provide us from this story? It’s better to listen to one man speaking quiet words of wisdom, than to the shouts of a powerful king who rules over fools. And while wisdom is more beneficial than weapons, all it takes is one sinner to destroy all the good that wisdom brings. Once again, you can sense Solomon’s cynicism. The advise of the wise isn’t always heeded. Their efforts aren’t always appreciated. And it only takes one foolish, unrighteous sinner to undermine all the efforts of the wise.

You can see why Solomon repeatedly went back to the recommendation: Eat, drink and be merry. To him, the world was controlled by time and chance. Man is the unwilling occupant of a canoe hurtling through rapids without a paddle. The best he can do is hang on and enjoy the scenes along the way. He knows there’s probably a less-than-pleasant ending around every bend, but he has no way of knowing when it will come. So, as far as Solomon could tell, the best thing was to sit back and enjoy the ride. But what a defeatist attitude. There is some value in living life in the moment. There is truth in Solomon’s assessment that the strong don’t always win and the swift don’t always come in first. But the apostle Paul would strongly disagree with Solomon’s assessment, instead arguing: “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” (1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT). And he supports that argument even further in his letter to the church in Philippi.

¹⁴I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

¹⁵Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. – Philippians 3:14-15 NLT

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Run To Complete, Not Compete.

August 17, 2016 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

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. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV

The Christian life is not a competition. It is not to be one believer pitted against another in some kind of race for spiritual supremacy or religious recognition. Christians are not to compare themselves with one another in hopes of proving that they are somehow superior or further along in their faith. So Paul’s words in these closing verses of chapter nine are not to be taken as an encouragement to for believers to compete against their brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul is definitely encouraging that believers strive in the “race” of life. But his emphasis is on completion, not competition. He wanted the Corinthians to live their lives with purpose, keeping the ultimate goal of their salvation in mind. It was the way he lived his own life and why he was able to say to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV).

Paul knew his life on earth was not all there was to his existence. There was more to come. And he lived with the constant awareness that his days on earth were numbered, and the older he got, the more he realized the end of his earthly existence was getting closer. Which is why he told Timothy, “the time of my departure has come” (2 Timothy 4:6 ESV). He knew that one day he would die and stand before God. And he also knew that his efforts at running the race on this earth would be judged and rewarded by God. So as long as he drew breath, he ran with purpose, with his eyes on the ultimate goal. He wanted to finish the race well, not worrying whether he came in first or last place, but that he had given it his all. When Paul talks about “the prize”, he is referring to the award given to the victor who participated in the Greek games. It was typically a crown of garlands. But Paul is using the word metaphorically to refer to our heavenly prize: eternal life. It is the same word he used when writing to the Philippian believers. “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” (Philippians 3:13-14 ESV).

The goal of our existence is eternity, not earthly superiority, comfort, convenience, pleasure, recognition, or temporal rewards. We get our reward in heaven. We may experience God’s blessings here, but the best is yet to come. So Paul tells us to run with our eyes on the prize, with the proper goal in mind. This requires self-discipline and a determination not to let yourself get distracted or deterred from your goal. It requires training and persistent practice. Again, Paul told Timothy, “Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules” (2 Timothy 2:3-5 NLT). We have to stay focused. Distractions are a constant threat for those of us who are running the race of life as believers. The world would have us pursue other goals and tempt us with different finish lines. We could easily make our lives all about success or significance. We could spend all our time pursuing pleasure and prosperity. We could be driven to win the prize of temporal happiness rather than eternal joy. So Paul tells us to run purposefully, not aimlessly. He encourages us to do all that we have to do to make sure we cross the intended finish line. The author of Hebrews gives us similar words of encouragement.

Competitive runners have every right to eat what they want. After all, the expend far more calories than the average person. And because they put so much stress and strain on their bodies, they have the right to sleep in and take it easy. But the truly good ones don’t do those things. They may have the right, but they discipline their bodies. They forego their rights in order to gain the prize. They give up their temporal desires in order to achieve that one thing for which they desire most: Victory. And that is how it should be with us as believers. We should never let our earthly rights and privileges get in the way the pursuit of our eternal reward. And because our life on this earth is to be done in the context of community, we are to run the race collectively, not independently. Paul wanted to see the Corinthians finish strong. He was their coach and cheer leader. He ran alongside them, urging them on and keeping them focused on the prize. We are to do the same for one another. This last week in the Olympic games in Brazil, during one of the longer races in track and field, two young ladies were inadvertently tripped up as all the competitors jockeyed for position. They both crashed to the track, ending their hopes of advancing to the next round of competition. But then one of the fallen runners got up and reached down to help her fallen competitor get to her feet. Together, they made their way slowly and painfully around the track, until they were able to cross the finish line together. That is the picture that comes into my mind when I read these words from Paul. At some point, we have to focus our attention on completing rather than competing. We have to make it our aim to finish the race, whatever the cost. Because the reward that awaits us is well worth the effort. But we also need to care for those who are running at our side. We should desire to see them make it to the end as well. Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us, but let us not run, ignoring all those running beside us. And let us not allow our finish be at the expense of other believers who might need our encouragement and assistance along the way.

Philippians 3:12-21

November 29, 2013December 18, 2013 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Divine Discontentment.

Philippians 3:12-21

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. – Philippians 3:12 NLT

Paul is the one who wrote, “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6 NIV). He knew that discontentment was a dangerous thing in the life of a believer. The context of that verse is important to understanding what Paul was saying. He was addressing the love of money and the mistaken understanding of some in the church who believed that a life of godliness was going to bring them financial gain. Paul was telling Timothy that godliness should produce contentment in the life of a believer, not an insatiable desire for worldly goods. If you have something to wear and food to eat, that should be enough to keep you content and satisfied.

But there was also a part of Paul that was constantly dissatisfied. He displayed a divine discontentment, but it had nothing to do with material things. His discontentment was spiritual in nature. Paul was never willing to rest on his laurels or grow content with and complacent about his spiritual maturity. He was always striving toward a deeper and greater relationship with Christ. He wanted to know Him more intimately, conform to Him more completely, and reflect His holiness more readily. Paul was far from content when it came to his spiritual life, and he expected other believers to share his passion for ever-increasing perfection. Paul knew he had been justified completely by Christ and would one day be glorified with Christ. But in the meantime, his attitude was, “I press on to possess the perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” (Philippians 3:12b NLT). The Greek word Paul uses that is translated “press on” is dioko, and it means “to pursue, to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire.” It is an active verb that was used of a runner competing in a race who runs swiftly to reach a goal. Paul knew that he would one day be made perfect in Christ when he experienced glorification with Christ. But that was a future event that would take place at his death or with the Lord’s return. So in the meantime, Paul pursued perfection. He was not content to remain as he was. The goal for Paul was always Christ-likeness – ever-increasing conformity to the character and nature of Christ. He knew that the goal would only be achieved at the end of his life or at the return of Christ, but he kept his eyes focused on the end line.

Paul says, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14 ESV). The Greek word for goal is skopos, and it means “goal marker, the object at the end of the course on which the runner fixes his gaze.” For Paul the goal was not heaven, but complete knowledge of Christ and conformity to His image. Paul wanted all believers to share that same goal. He didn’t want them to get distracted by the things of this world. His desire was that their lives would be possessed by a holy discontentment, not a worldly one. That’s why he described some “whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth” (Philippians 3:18-19 NLT). There were a growing number of individuals outside and inside the early church who were “anti-law.” They believed that it really didn’t matter how a Christian lived their life because they were saved. There was no law. They took the idea of freedom from the law to an unhealthy extreme. These people were driven by their passions. They were shameless and obsessed with the things of this life. Their satisfaction was based on earthly, temporal things. Any discontentment they experienced was only because they wanted more of what this world had to offer.

But Paul reminds his readers, “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior” (Philippians 3:20 NLT). Paul reminded them to remember who they were and what the real goal was. They were to never forget about their future glorification and perfection. And in the meantime, they were to live with a healthy sense of divine discontentment, keeping their eyes on the goal and running towards it with everything they had in them.

Father, it is so easy to make this life and all that it offers, the goal. We can so easily become transfixed by the things of this world and end up seeking them more than we do our relationship with Christ. Paul was never content to stay where he was spiritually. He was always striving, pursuing, eagerly seeking, and working his way toward the final goal. He was not content to wait for his future glorification, but made knowing Christ and conforming to His image, his lifelong obsession. May that be true of me as well. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Devotionary

The Bible Made Accessible and Applicable

run to win

Running With Endurance and Expectation

Misdirected Effort

Time and Chance.

Run To Complete, Not Compete.

Philippians 3:12-21