Race

It seems to me that those who fear death the most are involved in life the least. They have focused their sights on the temporal things of the world. In essence, those who fear death, it seems, fear life and have prioritized self-indulgence for the remainder of their days. Slowing down and focusing on oneself is not Scripture’s perspective on life. Theologian J. I. Packer explains it this way.

In the preceding verses, Peter told his readers to humble themselves under the “mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.” Believers can cast all their anxieties on the Lord because God is always faithful, and those who follow him can entrust themselves to his care. God is in control, but that does not nullify human responsibility. We are reminded of this in today’s passage.

The race is too important to run without determination and focus. So run hard! And finish strong!

What is the Holy Spirit compelling you to do? Life is too short to be running the wrong race.

Just as poison at the beginning of a stream contaminates the entire stream, so sin at the beginning of the human race contaminates us all. “All have sinned,” and that sin separates us from God. Actually God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He sent his Son to pay sin’s penalty by his death on the cross.

Without any pomp or circumstance, a royal baby was born. In the chaos of the Roman Empire, the Prince of Peace entered the human race. All heaven looked on as God wrote his story of love in living letters. Jesus became, in Paul’s words, “the image of the invisible God.”