Life's Race  

"Let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Heb. 12:1). 

The apostle here compares the Christian life to the running of a race. But we want to enlarge upon the thought, and compare the life of all men upon earth as running a great race; i. e., we want to compare the earth to a great race course, and all men as racers.

Let us notice a few interesting features about a race course, and the parties engaged therein. 1. The first thing men want to know concerning a race before they put their money in, is, what is the distance of the race. Sometimes the distance is only a half mile, sometimes three quarters, and sometimes a mile, a mile and a quarter. But this race on Time's race course, in which you and I are running, is from the cradle to the grave. From Time to Eternity. This great race began with us on that day, that hour, when the news was proclaimed, that a man or woman, child, was born into the world. Yes, that moment when our eyes first opened and beheld the big sun, and the azure sky and looked into the sublime face of man. Ah! it was then, we entered this great race from Time to Eternity, and every day, every hour, every moment, every second since that time, whether we work or play, whether we serve God or serve him not, we have been running with the rapidity of "time" toward eternity's goal.

2. The next thing men want to know concerning a race is, what horses are to run, and how many. Sometimes there are two in a race, sometimes four five and so on. They all run, but only one wins. But in this great race from time to eternity, who are the racers We answer, every man, woman and child, of all colors and all classes; yea, rich and poor, high and low, great and small. We are all hourly running away from every toy of time, yes, from wealth, honor, fame and everything below. O! how different men would conduct themselves upon earth, and what little interest they would take in time's fading toys, if they could fully realize the fact that they are hourly leaving everything below and making rapid strides for eternity's goal.

3. In this great race of life, who are the contesting parties For there can be no race without a contesting, i. e., some one striving to defeat us. Every son and daughter of Adam has three contesting parties, viz., The World, The Flesh, The Devil. These three have consolidated, and are striving to defeat every child of Adam. First, the World has invented new phases of pleasure, such as the dance, the skating rink, the beer gardens, the theatres, the excursion and a thousand others to defeat the children of Adam in winning the crown of life. Secondly, the Flesh has agreed to induce them by inflaming their passions, intensifying their evil desires, play upon their evil natures, and making them gauge their appetites, etc. It has also fettered them with habit and unnatural appetites, such as the cravings for tobacco, rum, opiates, etc., and thus defeat them from winning the prize. Thirdly, the Devil has planned to defeat them. 1. Through unbelief; by making them doubt the word of God, the power of the blood; doubt the divinity of Jesus; doubt the doctrine of hell and eternal punishment doubt the doctrine of living without sin. 2. He has planned to defeat them through Procrastination, by telling them, "there is plenty of time to become a Christian." 3. He has planned to defeat them through deception, i. e., through false religions, viz., Christian Science, Mormonism, Universalism, Millennial Dawnism, etc. 0 eternity-bound traveler, who is in the lead with you in this great race Is it God, or is it the World, the Flesh, and the Devil

4. The next thing to be considered in this great race, is what are the stakes At the earthly race courses, they put up purses of five and ten thousand dollars, and there are only two winners, as there are only two prizes, first and second. But in this race, the prize is Eternal life; a mansion in the sky, a fadeless crown, brighter than the sun; and an eternity of bliss; and we can all be "first prize winners."

5. What if we lose At the earthly race courses, if a man lose he only loses a few dollars, and has the opportunity of winning them back in the next race; but in this great race, we have our immortal souls at stake: with but one chance to win or lose. If we win, we go up forever; if we lose, we sink forever into endless woe. O, my brother and friend, you cannot afford to lose! You have too much at stake.

6. The next interesting feature about a race is the grand stand finish, the last eighth of the mile; when the horses are nearing the wire. At which time every man, woman and child stands in almost breathless suspense, watching to see what horse will be the winner. I now invite your attention across the black line of time; across the narrow nil of death; across the line of worlds, to the great grandstand, at the bar of God, where this great race course ends. See God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; see all of the angelic host; see your friends and relations who have gained the shores of endless bliss; see all of this holy throng as they stand in awful suspense gazing to see if you are going to win heaven or hell. Yes, gazing to see if you are going to let the world, flesh and the devil outrun you or hinder you from winning the crown. On the other side of this great grand stand of life and glory, see all of the damned host from the underworld, and all of your lost relatives and friends, as they stand, shrouded with blackness and bickering flames, watching in awful suspense to see if you will win or lose. O, friend! are you straining every point while here upon earth to win the immortal prize

The next thought is, how to win. The apostle tells us in the preceeding part of the verse, "Lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us." We are to lay aside every sin and doubtful thing. How careful we would be in the smallest matter if we knew we were to die to-morrow. We would not rest until we were as clear with God as a sunbeam, on all lines. Well, we should be just as careful for we may die before to-morrow.

The next thing necessary to win is to get properly shod. Sometimes a horse is hindered on account of not being properly shod. So it is in this race. Lots of souls fail to win the immortal prize through not being properly shod (equipped). They equip themselves with money, intellectuality, position, etc., but fail to get shod with the "New Birth" and holiness of heart. Hence they fail to gain the prize of eternal bliss.

The next thing required to win is to take the "Inside track;" i. e., the safest side of every questionable or doubtful scripture in the Bible. People say sometimes, "There may not be a literal lake of fire and brimstone." But friend, be sure to take the safest track, by repenting and getting saved, so if there should be one, you would be on the safe side. Again, people say, "We can get to heaven without being sanctified wholly," but since the Bible says, "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12: 14), it is safer to get the experience while here upon earth, so as to be sure of being right.

The next thing necessary to win is to keep out of the "pocket"-"the bunch." A skillful rider never allows the horses on each side of him to get ahead and form an "A" and thus shut him in from passing them. This is called by race riders "putting him in the pocket" or "bunching him." So to win this spiritual race, you must keep out of the pocket of public opinion, i .e., being kept from obeying your God-given convictions because of public sentiment, or, on the other hand, practicing something that the Bible condemns, because the generality of preachers and church members are doing so. God says, "Follow not a multitude to do evil." So if you would win, you must keep in the middle of the track of "Singularity" all the way to eternity's goal.

The next thing necessary to win is to ride with a tight rein. No race rider can ever win except he keeps a tight rein, thus to hold up his horse. We once heard of a racer suddenly slacking his reins and his horse went somersaults, thus killing himself and driver. O, how many dear ones have broken their spiritual necks in this race by suddenly slacking their reins (letting down), and passion and old appetites have revived and swept them off of their feet in a moment. O friend! don't think you are so well saved that you do not need to keep a tight rein of self-discipline, for you are in danger every hour. Therefore, you must ever "watch and fight and pray." For if Paul, with all of his gifts and graces, had to "keep his body under or else become a castaway," how much more careful ought you and I to be; for we are much weaker than we think. O, let us "so run that we may obtain!"