Friday, March 15, 2013

March 15, 2013

It's Road Rally Time


Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ‑ 1 Corinthians 9:24

One of the fun fellowship activities our congregation sponsors each and every year is the Road Rally (all right, almost every year ‑ sorry). It's a great time of teamwork and competition, crowned with a party at the end for all the participants. Just as in Paul's words above, the Road Rally has only one winning entry. The rest of us were there, all right: driving, navigating, trivializing, figuring, kibitzing, et cetera‑ing, but only one vehicle can win the Rally.

This is a pretty discouraging picture of the Christian life, don't you think? I mean, here's Paul telling us all to run the race in such a way as to win it, but ‑ oh, by the way, only one can win, and I'm running my legs off ‑ see you at the finish line, Corinthians!

Of course, that's not what he's really saying there. After all, Paul tells us in Ephesians that nothing we do can get us that reward: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8‑9)

What does that mean in his race metaphor, then? Here's what I think. When we are baptized, we are baptized into Christ; when we are confirmed (or join by confession of faith), we confirm our acceptance of Christ's finished work for us. This means that when God looks at me, He doesn't see Charlie, He sees Jesus. When He watches me running the race, He doesn't see Charlie stumbling all over the place, He sees Jesus running the perfect race; He sees me win!

Sure, I can't drive myself into first place, but I'm already in the winning car! Thanks be to God who gives us the victory in our Lord, Jesus Christ! Amen.

Charlie van Becelaere

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