What is the Prize?

Scripture Passages:

Hebrews 12:1

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Sometimes I feel like I’m running or “pressing on” this race of endurance and there is no end in sight. And not only that, sometimes I don’t know what I’m running towards! The Bible speaks highly of this ‘prize’ that is waiting for us, but what is it? Put simply: God wants us to be in a perfect love relationship with Him. Wait, that’s it?! That’s what I’m running for? Let’s look at Paul’s description of this perfect love relationship in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

We usually hear this verse in the context of weddings or other human relationships, but we don’t often realize that this perfection we’re looking for in human relationships is actually the prize that awaits us at the end of this race! We cannot experience perfect love on this earth in human relationships, which is why that experience is going to be so GREAT when we get there!

Reflection

Check out Hebrews 10:36.
-What must we follow to receive what God has promised us?
-Be thinking today about what your answer to #1 looks like. Do you often do your will, or His?

Take the Next Step
Even though He has set the bar high, God wants us to have great loving relationships with each other, just like the one that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. I challenge you to take apart that verse and apply each quality of this perfect love relationship to your closest relationships. Maybe it’s with your parents, perhaps a boyfriend/girlfriend, or a best friend too! Is your love proud? Is it self-seeking? If it’s not, take each aspect of that verse and work on them one at a time. We’ll never be able to achieve perfect love on this earth, but we can certainly get close!