1 Corinthians 9:24 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.
It’s a big day in America because
millions of people will turn out to vote in the Primaries. A lot of people are
deeply concerned, including me, about how our elections are being manipulated
by the media. Whether it’s from biased news coverage or prejudiced comedy
shows, the outcome is the same: a dangerous polarization of the greater
community which threatens to tear apart the fabric of freedom across the
country.
How we got here is anybody’s guess
and I’m sure that the historians a century from now will know all the answers.
What I believe we need to do as Christians is to ask God for healing to come to
our nation after the main elections, and then work to restore a practical unity
and commonality in our own communities. No matter who is elected, poverty,
ignorance, and disease will still be around, so we will still have plenty of
missions and ministries to undertake, accomplish, and fulfill.
When Paul wrote to the Corinthian
church about running a race and winning a prize, he was talking about our
individual faith journeys. We rush through life headed towards the finish line,
but rather than keeping our eyes on death, we raise them up to look at Christ
and see Him waiting for us beyond the end of the race. He is our ultimate
destination; He is our ultimate prize.
So, no matter where we end up at the
finish of this election, our eyes need to go beyond the political temporal
world and look up to the sacred everlasting kingdom. Of course, we need to be
in the world to help our communities, but we also need to look beyond this life
to the eternal faith community to which we ultimately belong. There is no point
in running this race we call life, only to finish at a dead end.
Questions for personal reflection
How often do I
think about life after my death? Do I know where I am headed?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, in the midst of all the
important events that are happening in our lives and around the world, help us
to keep focused on You. Remind us that we are Your servants and enable us to
work in our communities by sharing Your love and compassion with other people. Lead
us through life, so that we may always look ahead and still see You. In Your
Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
If you would like to make comments or ask questions about today’s devotion,
please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
image is one of John’s latest Holy Week drawings called “Gargoyle of Golgotha.”
If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Golgotha.
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