You may well consider the fact that my 80th birthday will take place next year somehow means this old guy is nearing the finish line.
Well, you may be right and then again you may be wrong. Only God knows when He’ll take me home.
All I know is this: I’m much closer to the finish line than I was when I was in my 60s! That’s when Dad hit his 100th birthday.
So, there is a good chance I’m not yet near that proverbial finish line — the eventual end of my short time here on this planet.
I’ve never run a marathon other than in my life journey.
Once I was coerced by a client to participate in a rigorous 10K race — The Run for the Roses, which took hundreds of participants on a scenic route around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena when I was a mere 40.
That in itself was quite an experience, since I ended up tearing an old hamstring injury in the final 300 meters of the race.
If the injury had occurred early in the race, I doubt I would have continued running; however, since my goal was nearly in sight, I continued limping to the finish line while dozens and dozens of runners passed me by.
Even though I was in substantial pain, I found completing the race extremely gratifying.
Perhaps all those years participating in team sports helped me to persevere during such physical adversity. The only person I knew at the race that day was the attorney who coaxed me into running, and he was driving around in a golf cart!
As a follower of Christ, I’ve developed a totally new perspective on my life journey.
For nearly 40 years now, I’ve learned to cherish life as I draw closer to my Savior and Lord each day — even as I’m confronted with the aging process.
Physically, I’ve experienced some minor setbacks, but my mind is sharp and the Holy Spirit gives me the strength to carry on and, hopefully, finish the race set before me.
Hebrews 12:1-2 often comes to mind and seems quite appropriate to quote: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the throne of God.”
My eyes remain fixed on Jesus, the Perfector of our Faith. He is the Finish Line for those who place their trust in His completed work on the cross.
His final word on the cross was tetelestai, a Greek word meaning it is finished or it is complete.
You see, the things of this world just aren’t that significant anymore. What is significant is what awaits us on the other side in our eternal heavenly existence.
All I can say about what lies ahead is this: I know that my Savior awaits all who trust in Him.
If you have never asked Him to come into your heart, there’s no time like the present, since none of us know when we’ll reach that finish line!