A few mornings ago, a thought struck me that has occupied my attention. I suppose one would call this an anomaly. The Bible says that we are complete in Christ…

Colossians 2:9-10 NLT
[9] “For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. [10] So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”

… and yet, I am sure we know how incomplete we are. Again, the Bible confirms our incompleteness in this life.

Philippians 3:12-14 NLT
[12] “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. [13] No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Life in this body is a continual struggle to become what we already are. However, we don’t give up because there is a prize awaiting us too valuable and precious to lose.

Our understanding of God’s truth is incomplete…

1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT
[12]”Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

but….

We run the race to win a prize that we only dimly perceive through the gloom of our earthly incompleteness. Our hardships and suffering occupy so much of our attention that we are often in danger of losing sight of the goal….

but…

Like long-distance marathon runners, our attention must be on the road over the hills and valleys lest we trip and fall along the way. However, unlike runners in a race, we must plod on, day after day, week after werk, month after month, not knowing how and when we will reach the finish line.

Like the Apostle Paul, we must finish the race if we are to achieve the completeness that God promises us and has prepared for us before time. What is the prize for which we run the race?

If our struggle in this life is against the fleshly desires which threaten to drag us down and disqualify us, then the goal is to become like Jesus in the life to come. So John could write…

1 John 3:2 NLT
[2]”Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.”

For me, the beautiful thing is that God sees us already complete in Jesus. He also knows how difficult the race is. He knows the pitfalls along the way. He knows how weak we are. He knows what temptations trip us up. He knows everything about us that helps and hinders us in this race. He provides all the grace we need and tests us from time to time to help us evaluate our progress in trusting and obeying Him, the two most important qualities that will take us to the finish line.

God is our partner in this race. He is determined that we will complete the course and gain the prize. He has promised that He will finish what He started.

Philippians 1:6 NLT
[6] “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

So, the Bible encourages us never to give up.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
[16] “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. [17] For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! [18] 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.”

Jesus is our example and our champion. He never gave up, even to death. He is with us all the way to the finish line, encouraging, strengthening, and urging us to keep going to win the eternal prize.

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT
[1]” 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. [2] 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.”

Only those who finish the race will win the prize.

So, we will be able to say with Paul, at the end of our race,

2 Timothy 4:6-8 NLT
[6] “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. [8] And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”