One Lap To Go...

Our son Benjamin is a runner and is a member of the Gulf Coast Hurricanes, a track club in our town. He practiced for months and months, putting in grueling training from September of last year all the way through July of this year.  His events are the 800 meter run, 1500 meter run and the 3000 meter run, with the longer events being his specialty.

Various track meets were held throughout our State as well as Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. We attended each meet and cheered the old boy on.  He is a gifted runner and we are proud of him.

Running the Race

In particularly the longer races, runners may lose track of the number of laps that they have left to go in the race.  It is for that reason that there is a pedestal set up that has an indicator on it that communicates to the runners how many laps are left to go in the race.  An attendant stands by the sign and updates it with each lap. When the lead runner has one lap to go,  the attendant flips the indicator to '1' and vigorously rings the bell attached to the bottom of the sign that you can see below. This lets every runner on the course know that "this is it!"  It is time to dig deep and run with all you've got.  Give it your best kick for the finish line is in sight!!

Lap number sign along with Bell

At the particular race that Benjamin was running in on this day, the attendant charged with updating the Laps to Go sign got distracted.  He didn't flip the sign and he didn't ring the bell to let the runners know that they were on the last lap. Only parents who were monitoring their athlete's times, coaches, and/or very attentive runners knew that they were on the final lap.  Many of the runners didn't give it their best because they were unaware that there was only 1 lap to go and as a result, they didn't finish strong.  What a tragedy!

There is a very valuable lesson to be learned here in a spiritual sense, and as I thought about it, it made me think of some verses from the New Testament that are important to me:

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Now obviously, if we are competing in a race, we're going to run it with endurance, wanting to finish strong, but here's the thing, like the runners in Benjamin's race - in our race of life, we don't know exactly when our race is going to end!  Our 'race' could end tonight or tomorrow or if the Good Lord tarries, we could die a ripe, old age.

Or if not in death, our race could come to an end in another way.  My Bible teaches me that the Lord will return one day for His Believers.  The Gospel of Mark states the following:

32 But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

33 “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. 34 It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. 35 Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”  Mark 13:32-37

You see, although there is no one to physically ring the bell to alert you to the end of the race, if you read the Bible, there are plenty of signs to tell you emphatically of His imminent return.  There's one lap to go!  Are you ready?  Are your family and loved ones ready?  If you aren't sure, there is HOPE HERE.

The race is almost over...  Finish Strong!!

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.  Luke 21:28

Maranatha!