I wonder if Paul knew when he was going to be killed. We don’t know exactly when and where it happened, but we do know things were going very badly for Christians at that time. Christianity had been banned and Christians were being killed summarily. Apparently Paul was hung approximately in 64 A.D. Although Paul did not know exactly when he would be killed, he had a strong suspicion that the time was coming very soon.

⁶You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. ⁷This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause!

It’s as if Paul is expressing a longing here. I might be putting this the wrong way, but doesn’t Paul seem to be longing for his departure to heaven? It’s as if he has been in prison long enough. The cold of winter has eaten away at his body and in a way he is done with suffering. He wants to leave the broken world and exchange it for a wonderful rest with God.

Do we long for heaven too, or are we enjoying our stay on earth too much? Often we choose not to speak about when the Lord will come and get us, because our feet are quite nicely planted on earth. Actually, we don’t have time to go to heaven, because we’re simply too busy here on earth. But we can get up right now, experience a heart convulsion, and when we open our eyes again, it can be all over.

When you look back at your life, at what stage of the race are you? When you eventually run past the finish line, did you win? When you step onto the podium, what prize will you receive? Will you reach the podium at all?

These are not easy questions, but at one time or another we will have to answer them, and hopefully it won’t be too late. Yes, we know that each of us has already received the prize of salvation. Yes, each of us has received a free “get out of jail” card, because Jesus had died on the cross. But that prize has given us an entry to participate in the race to heaven.

Look, I’m not built for running, but my wife loves it. She ran a half marathon here in Stellenbosch and shortly after that a 12 km on Niel Ellis’ wine farm. She understands the race metaphor much better than I and teaches me about uphills and downhills and persevering and encouraging and strangers helping one another and laughing. Yes, they’re not running for a place, their prize is to finish.

When you look back at your life, at what stage of the race are you? When you eventually cross the finish line, have you won? When you get up on the podium, what prize will you win? Will you even reach the podium?

Paul doesn’t know for sure when he will die, but when he does, he knows for sure that he will receive a prize. He knows it, because he believes in God and he knows that God will award the prizes fairly. It will happen to everybody.

Will it happen to you too?

Scripture
2 Tim 4:6-8

Reflection
At what stage are you in the race?
When you shoot past the finish line, have you won?
When you get up onto the podium, what prize will you get?
Will you get to the podium?

Prayer
Lord, I would like to run the race in such a way that I will also receive a prize from You. Help me to remain faithful and obedient to You every day. Amen.