During the Mexico City Olympics a number of years ago Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia won the 26 mile marathon. One hour later, after the crowd had dispersed, John Akjwari of Tanzania crossed the finish line. The crowd had long dispersed by then.
John had a serious fall earlier in the race. One of his legs was blood-soaked and bandaged. As he hobbled across the finish line, in agony and pain, he limped on to the first aid station. Later he was asked why he finished the race. Didn’t he know that he couldn’t possibly win? “My country didn’t send me here to start the race,” he replied. “They sent me here to finish the race!”
Paul the apostle must have felt the same way as he penned the letter to the Philippians. He was in prison at the time with the sentence of death hanging over his head. But he felt that God had more for him to do. Listen to what he wrote in Chapter 3, verses 12 through 14. “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus!”
God wasn’t through with him yet. He had more to do in his life and through his life. God sent him to finish the race, not just to run in it. He has the same in mind for you.
