Delays

Paul describes the Christian journey as a race.

"Do 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." (I Corinthians 9:24). The definition for the word run in this verse means to exercise myself, make progress, to run.

Effective running means measuring your breathing, finding that right pace and conserving your strength to make efficient strides toward the finish line.

But what do you do when there is a delay? Suddenly an obstacle falls on the track in front of you? Or some other obstacle to your right or left threatens to wipe you out?

Unlike a high school running track that is generally clear of roadblocks and other objects to slow you down, life is full of surprises and challenges. You may feel like you are making great progress but suddenly things go wrong. Your system at work crashes causing you to lose hours of work. The school nurse calls to report your child is very ill. Your car won't start. The bills mount and the savings account has just a couple of dollars remaining.

In this Christian race, you could keep running or slow down to rest. Be careful. There is a temptation we all face when life puts us on pause, because of an unexpected delay in our desire to pursue Christ, our Prize.

Remember the parable of the ten virgins? Five them were wise to stock up before going out to meet the bridegroom while five others were foolish. They had no contingency for life's emergency.

It says in Mathew 25: 1-4, “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept." (NKJV).

Sadly many are falling asleep when it seems the bridegroom is delayed. But God will appear one day suddenly and we must learn endurance in this race, until the day He returns.

You may not be swift or strong, but keep moving your feet, one foot in front of other! Beloved, keep your eyes on Jesus and you will finish the race. Jesus, our Prize awaits for those who endure to the end,

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them. Ecclesiastes 9:11-12, NIV.