“Do you not know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” —1 Corinthians 9:24
We live in a time of noise—social media scrolls endlessly, the news cycle never pauses, and life pulls us in a hundred directions. It’s easy to drift, to live on autopilot. But St. Paul’s words cut through the fog with surprising clarity: life is not a casual walk. It is a race. And Christ invites us to run.
To follow Christ is to run with purpose. It’s not about rushing faster than others but aiming our lives toward something deeper than achievement or applause. Paul reminds us that the Christian life has a direction: love, sacrifice, and the eternal joy of being with Christ.
We don’t run to earn God’s love; we run because we are loved. Grace is not the prize at the end. Grace is the reason we begin. In our world, success is often measured in wealth, fame, or self-promotion. But Christ calls us to a different path. He ran the race before us—serving the poor, welcoming the poor and needy, forgiving enemies, carrying the cross. His was not a sprint of selfish ambition but a marathon of love. To follow Him means choosing compassion over competition, justice over comfort, humility over pride.
This race will cost us. There will be days when we feel tired, discouraged, or unseen. But God sees. Every small act of kindness, every silent prayer, every decision to walk in integrity—these are steps toward the Kingdom of God. And here’s the beauty: we don’t run alone. Christ teaches us to run together in a world obsessed with finishing first.
So ask yourself: What race am I running? And who am I running toward? Run with purpose. Run with joy. Run toward love. The prize is not popularity. It is the voice of the Saviour saying, “Well done.”
