Running the Race!

When my uncle passed away last week, it got me really thinking about death. As I talked to my dad about dying, my dad made a comment that struck me. He said "everyone wants to go to heaven, they just aren't in a rush to get there." As I thought about what he said, I realized how right he was! As Christians, whenever someone we know is sick and dying, we ask everyone to pray for their healing because we know that God can heal them because of his marvelous power. Yet, we don't really consider the outcome of what happens if he doesn't provide them healing on earth. If he doesn't, he/she will be going to heaven!

Hebrews 12:1 says that we are to run the race that God has set before us. Our race is our life's journey. Our life's journey is to help us fulfill our life's purpose. We were put on earth for God's pleasure. In order to please him, we are to live our lives for HIM. This means that on our life's journey, our actions should always reflect Him in us and we should do nothing that would bring dishonour to him but instead do things to bring him Glory. As all races have, the race of life has a finish line and on the other side of that finish line, we will recieve a wonderful reward! As we cross that line, we will enter into the pearly gates and be met with a celebration party and a huge reunion!

In life, when there is a race, everyone wants to finish first so that they can reap that reward before anyone else can snatch it up! But when it comes to the race that God set before us, people are hesitant as they near the finish line and would rather someone else come in first place. But why should we hesitate and want someone else to win that race?! Shouldn't we be excited to be crossing that line?! Hasn't that finish line been what we've strived for all of our Christian lives? Isn't that why we chose to live our lives the way we did, so that in the end, we could be met at those gates by our heavenly father and our brothers and sisters in Christ who went before us?!

I guess it all comes down to us being human. As humans, I've learned that we have a hard time letting go. We want to hold onto our lives here on earth. We want to have families and watch our families grow up and begin families of their own. However, if our family is saved, we should know that when we die, we are going to see them again. We should really consider our death to be like a vacation. When we cross that finish line, we are given a permanent stay in paradise! If on earth, we won an all-expenses paid trip to some tropical island for the rest of our lives, could you seriously say you wouldn't leave and go?! I mean afterall, your family and friends can come see you! Just like in heaven, when we go to paradise, our friends and family are going to be coming to see us sometime soon too! So we shouldn't be worried about never seeing them again!

The Bible says in Hebrews that "it is appointed unto man once to die." Either way, whether we come in first or last, we are going to cross that finish line. I just know that when I reach the end of my journey, I'm not going to have a problem coming first or last. I've lived my life in ways that are pleasing to God and I want to accept my reward for that! So I will be more than happy to accept first place!