There Is No Finish Line!

Often scripture refers to our life-journey as a race.  

And often the race is viewed as complete when we come to the end of earthly life in Christ (2 Timothy 4:7-9; Acts 20:24).   But it is more accurate, in line with the totality of scripture, to note the end of earthly life as a transition, not an ending.  For life in Christ continues, beyond the stoppage of a heart -- as we keep pace with the Master of the Universe.   

The writer of Hebrew alludes to this, as he calls us to run our race not by fixing eyes on human cadence and destination, but on spiritual cadence and destination -- Jesus.

“Therefore since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witness [e.g. departed saints, enumerated in Hebrews 11], let us throw off everything that hinders…And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer [leader] and perfecter of our faith.  For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.  Consider [be mindful] of him who endured such opposition…so that you will not grow weary and lose heart…”  (Hebrews 12: 1-3, emphasis added)

It’s tempting to interpret the race imagery in this text as relevant only to our earthly journey.  But because the race occurs surrounded by saints in eternity, lead by a Jesus in eternity, it follows, if we fix our eyes on Jesus, the race does not stop at death, but continues onward, into eternity! -- in never-ending fashion.  And so, yes, there are milestones along the way and transition points, but not a definitive arrival point or destination, other than Jesus. 

But even Jesus is not an arrival or destination because Jesus keeps moving.  And so, our calling is to keep time with the Savior, running with Him, forever, in accordance with His godly cadence.   A cadence that is sometimes slow, sometimes fast, sometimes casual, sometimes deliberate, sometimes meandering, sometimes intense – but a cadence that moves forward, relentlessly, into greater, fuller, and more nuanced expressions of the Reign of God.

And so the time of our life never ends, in Jesus.   For as we fix our eyes on the Master of the Universe, we time-travel into expressions of abundant life, far beyond anything we could ever possibility comprehend or imagine.  For Paul is ‘spot on’ as he quotes Prophet Isaiah:  

“What no eye as seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived, [are] the things God has prepared for those who love him…”  (1 Corinthians 2:9).  

And the best part: to realize such promise, there’s no need to time-travel backward – only forward -- for as we transit with Jesus, both now and forever, Jesus truly does make “…everything new!” (Revelation 21:5).   For God

"…does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  (Psalm 103:10-12).

And so time with Jesus is indeed time well spent, as the ‘time of our life’ is totally revolutionized into a journey of reckless joy and up-ending fulfillment.  Sure, God controls the pacing and cadence; and often, God does not deliver, according to our wants and timetable.  But God does deliver, according to our needs, in faithful, jarring fashion. 

But we must keep our eyes riveted on Jesus, mindful of Him.  For only with such fixation, do we have any prospect of not growing weary, and not losing heart.  

It is so easy -- so easy -- to grow weary and lose heart.   Not only is life difficult – God is difficult – unmoving in his determination to be Sovereign of the World,  in spite of our anger and timing-demands. 

But we must keeping moving, running with Him, in spite of the groan of our emotion, living beyond feeling, into faith.  For He is God and we are not, in spite of the protest and diss of our hearts.

So, keep running with Jesus, both within and beyond your understanding of time, always succumbing, to God’s time.  For in God’s time, eventually, our journey will make sense, intimacy will come, and wholeness will be manifest.

One of the joys of living near Chicago for thirteen years was proximity to The Magnificent Mile, one of great shopping sectors in the world.   Featured prominently along that grand promenade of merchandise was a flagship store of Nike, one of the top global brands of running shoes and apparel.   Not surprisingly, the Nike Store was a treasure-trove of running paraphilia featuring not only actual shoes and accessories but also signed sports memorabilia throughout the facility.  But the most impressive aspect of the Chicago’s Nike store was the motto that confronted shoppers as they exited the store.  For high above the main exit of the store was the slogan of the Nike that branded the company for many years:  “There Is No Finish Line.”

For those in Christ, there is no finish line.  For God does keep moving, encouraging us to do the same.   So, keep running with Jesus.  For though time feels bracketed and limited, it is indeed, expansive – pushing beyond all barriers and transition points – toward a wooly adventure of abundant, never-ending life.  

Though I am not eager for the transition of death, I know that passage will come.  Thus, I have thought long and intentionally, about what I desire on my final marker (e.g. gravestone). After considering multiple options, I’ve arrived at a phrase, that I feel best describes ‘the time of my life.’   It smacks of idealism, but most importantly, trumpets Biblicism, manifest in a Risen, abundant Jesus.  For my marker phrase doesn’t limit time to what I know and comprehend, but to what Alpha and the Omega promises and, indeed, delivers:  “Now More Alive Than Ever."