We Christians are in a race.
“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV)
And this race is really a marathon, not a sprint. The scripture describes the race as one that is run with endurance, with patience, with perseverance.
And everyone knows that to succeed in a marathon, you cannot run with any form of uncertainty.
“… I run thus: not with uncertainty.” (1 Corinthians 9:26 NKJV)
To run a marathon, you must know exactly what is required of you….you must know the starting point, the finish line, the route, the rules. And you we must run with focus, not wasting any time or energy! There must be no distractions.
Visualise yourself as a marathon runner. As you run the race, there are many people standing on the side-lines. Some are yelling out encouragements, handing out bottles of water. These are people who genuinely want you to succeed, who Hebrews 12:1 refers to as the “great cloud of witnesses”. Then there are the people who really don’t care – they are there to watch the race, take pictures. They do not add to you, but they do not take away either. Then there are those who came to watch you fall, to watch you fail, the ones who yell out insults instead of encouragement, who even throw objects in your path so as to trip you up. The ones who want to introduce uncertainty into your race, to shift your focus, to become distractions and so affect your ability to finish your race well, or even to finish at all. Distractors whose sole purpose is to make you slow down. Psalm 1: 1 calls these people ungodly, sinners and scornful.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. (Psalms 1:1 NKJV)
There is a negative progression that leads to stagnation and sin. The verse above highlights that progression: from walking to standing, and then sitting. When you permit distractions, you slow down from a run to a walk, next thing you are standing still, and before long, you are sitting.
The Bible warns us not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Someone is always there to give unsought advice. Oftentimes that advice is ungodly. Eve did not ask the serpent for advice, but he gave it anyway. Abram did not ask Sarai for advice, but she gave it any way. Today, ungodly counsel abounds everywhere and the only defence against it is allowing the Word of God to be “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NKJV)
The phrase “stands in the path of sinners” means standing where sinners stand, or doing what sinners do. It is the next step after heeding ungodly counsel.
And the final stage is “sits in the seat of the scornful” which means to mock and scoff at God, His ways, and His people. A scornful person is contentious and bitter towards the things of God. May we never find ourselves in this place!
Many years ago, a young Christian couple was dating with the intention of getting married. The young man respected the young lady immensely and never once pressured her for sex. One day, an older female relative suggested the young lady seduce the young man so as to confirm he was actually a man! She did as her aunt advised and the young man proved he was indeed a man! She got pregnant though, and the drama that ensued culminated in a rushed wedding. And it all went downhill from there. The young lady, unfortunately, has lost her way. I pray she finds it, but today, she is sitting squarely in the seat of the scornful.
This was not at all how God intended the story to go. This young lady fell prey to the counsel of the ungodly and slowed down of her race until she was no longer running.
The race God invites us to run is built on the opposite model:
We heard His divine call when we were seated among those who mocked Him;
We stood up to follow Him;
We started walking in His footsteps;
We began to run!
Please run your Christian race, even if it means going against the world’s reasoning, the way our society operates. Following God will mean, more often than not, swimming against the tide, going against popular culture, going against conventional wisdom.
Following Christ means deciding to think and live differently. It requires sacrifice, but it is worth it!
Dear Christian runner, whatever happens, do not slow down!
May the Lord strengthen you. May you find encouragement to continue your race. May you not just finish, but finish well! May you, in the fullness of time, be able to declare like Paul, “…I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV). In Jesus’ Name. AMEN!
Email me at Onyinye.cn@kda.org.ng