The Imperishable Prize

From the Devotion Book An Uncovered Life

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

My first “Black Friday” shopping experience was the last place I expected to glean spiritual insight. However, the almost comical behavior of so many in pursuit of their merchandise bargain stirred in me some rather sobering reflections. Up by 3:00 a.m. and strategically positioned in the Target parking lot by 3:45 a.m., I was immediately struck by the nearly endless sea of shoppers, many who had camped out all night, wrapped around the Target complex anxiously awaiting for the store doors to be unlocked at 4:00 a.m. When the doors flung open, the race was on. The frenzied crowd rushed through the entrance, serious shoppers filled the aisles, and within just minutes, some emerged again to the parking lot with their prize in hand! Mission accomplished!

Certainly, the tenacity of these folks is commendable. Their persistence in tracking down the best deals in town, their creative strategies that send one team member to the check-out line while another moves to the electronics and they scope out the toys, and their enduring willingness to brave the elements, forsake sleep, and do whatever necessary to seize their opportunity is worthy of applause. Yet, the reality is that they do it all for a “perishable” prize.

Should not we who are seeking an “imperishable” prize, the high privilege of an intimate relationship with the creator of the universe and the King of all humanity, be even more diligent in our pursuit of this “inheritance that will never fade” and is “reserved in heaven” for us? While this quest does not necessitate standing for hours in line, braving the brutal elements, or sleep deprivation, it still demands determination, discipline, and sacrifice. Without these commitments, the glory of the prize will remain forever elusive.

We must first be determined to press beyond past failures, broken promises, dismantled dreams, and repeated setbacks. There must be in us a steady resolve to “press on toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Likewise, a life of disciplined behavior, surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, is an essential ingredient of the sincere follower of Christ. In addition, sacrifice must mark the lives of those whose eyes remain focused on the spiritual prize, laying down even the good, to gain the best.

It seems that the greatest need for those of us who aspire to know Christ better is a commitment to the long haul. Gaining the imperishable prize is not a mere event and is more than a blip in time driven by short-term energy reserves or a rush of adrenaline. Instead, it is a life-long race, a pursuit that requires endurance, patience, and an uncanny, unwavering, and tenacious fortitude, which maintains focus on the prize despite the many distractions. If we by faith refuse to shrink back, we may lay hold of our imperishable prize, know more fully His glory, experience more powerfully His love, and reflect more genuinely His character.