Keep The Faith!

During the Singapore Bay Run/Army Half Marathon about two weeks ago, I was running behind a group of runners wearing T-shirts with the words "Fight the fight, Finish the race, Keep the Faith". In the quest to finish the twenty-one kilometres in under two hours (we did it in an hour and fifty minutes or so), Reynold and I eventually overtook them, but well that's not the point.

The message on the back of their yellow T-shirts serves to remind us of our Christian faith. After a quick search on Bible.com, I came across a passage that compares our lives to running races. In 1 Corinthians 9, the apostle Paul talks about giving up our freedoms and rights for the advancement of the Gospel (v.12, 15, 19 to 22). He also encourages us to run the race "in such a way as to get the prize." because "we do it to get a crown that will last forever".

An excerpt from 1 Corinthians 9:24 -27 (NIV)

"24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.ll not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

Our life as a Christian isn't a 100-metre sprint or even a 2.4 kilometre run. It's an ultra-long distance marathon. As such, one requires the suitable running shoes, proper hydration and progressive and thorough training beforehand, in order to complete the run safely, and within a respectable time. Similarly, we need to prepare and equip ourselves with the necessary biblical knowledge and understanding in order to run our Christian race effectively. In both areas, this certainly calls for the willingness to humble ourselves for "coaches" or running partners to teach and train with us, and a considerable amount of effort and discipline in order for stamina and the endurance levels to improve.

Running marathons need certain requirements, and here're just some of them to consider:

1. It isn't just about short bursts of speed, or that impulsive but ill-considered pledge to a certain cause (e.g. coming for Faith Factor on time), which fizzles out after a while.
2. It isn't about winning medals for one's glory, or serving to bring credit or recognition to yourself (e.g. only volunteering for roles that put you in the limelight i.e. worship leader, programme planner etc, and not those unseen, sometimes seemingly thankless jobs like cleaning up after the fun's over).
3. It isn't about giving up when muscle cramps bring you down, or giving up when faced with immense persecution (e.g. when studying for exams/CCA commitments) for your faith or service to God.
4. It's about consistency, long-term commitment, endurance, perseverance and the correction motivation in running the race for Him. And we can have the ultimate assurance, despite the pain and suffering we face while running, that we will receive the crown that will last forever. =)

In the race of life, do we live to be the best for God (Oh my goodness, sounds like an Army advertisement right? Remember L.I.V.E? Haha...)? Can we be like Paul, who confidently wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) - "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."?