Life is a race, and before you know it, you will have reached the finish line. As in any race, when you near the finish line, you begin to run faster and faster. Although time does not speed up, do you feel as though you are running faster and faster now than you were in the past? Soon you will reach the finish line. On this earth, everything has an ending. The question is, which way are you are running? Although, anciently, they said, “All roads lead to Rome,” in the Christian world, not all roads lead to the desired finish line of heaven. Only one road leads to heaven. You have to make sure you are running on that road, in the right direction. Also, you cannot run too slow. The Lord has set the pace which is right for you, and you have to keep up with Him.
The race may be long. It may last for 80 or 90 years. It may also be shorter. Each has their own distance to run. The enemy has many roads and does not care how fast you run. You can sit down at the first rest stop and do nothing, and watch other people running by, and still end up at his destination. Some run swiftly on his road, some slow. For some it is a short road, with life cut short at an early age, for others it is a very long road.
This is life. To run successfully, you must be well trained and continue running; you have to be in good physical condition. Those who are not fit may end up getting weary along the way and stop running. In the spiritual race, the fit are those who have run with Jesus and not just one will receive the reward. All who run and reach the destination, whether they are first or last, will receive the reward. But they must be fit, and have been subjected to the training provided by Jesus. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” 1 Corinthians 9:24
In the world, people running in the wrong direction are sometimes said to be running in a rat race.
Have you ever felt that your life is like a rat race? What is a rat race? Most of us who have English as our first language are familiar with the term, rat race.
The rat race is not a happy life. In fact, it is described as the unpleasant life of people who have jobs that require them to work very hard in order to compete with others for money, power, and status. It can be exhausting and frustrating. Wikipedia puts it like this, “An endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. . . .The term is commonly associated with an exhausting, repetitive lifestyle that leaves no time for relaxation or enjoyment.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_race.
This idea came from experimentation with laboratory rats. The rats raced through a maze in order to be the first one to get at the cheese. The rats are at the mercy of the experimenter and the degree of difficulty he designed into the maze. Being involved in the rat race in society feels as though the person is at the mercy of others or of other forces (the world, the flesh and the devil). In this race, they spend more energy than the reward is worth. They are in an endless, futile pursuit, for peace and happiness through the obtaining of much material wealth in their race.
The term came into common usage in the early 1900’s and this is a time when technology began to boom and people were able to communicate and travel quickly around the world. The Bible does say that in the end times, “many shall run to and fro.” Daniel 12:3. Today, people are running; they are seemingly always in a hurry. In the big cities, it seems like everyone is in a hurry.
You drive your car in the city streets and the highways and if you drive the speed limit, there is someone behind you, urging you to speed up by tailgating you, or trying to pass you. You are going too slow for them—they are in a hurry, but why, and where are they going in their rush?
This clearly describes modern day society. People are rushing for carnal and material wealth. When they cannot run fast enough, there are multiple other ways to get somewhere quickly such as cars, trains, and planes. In a vision, Ellen White was shown the following vision. “A train of cars was shown me, going with the speed of lightning. The angel bade me look carefully. I fixed my eyes upon the train. It seemed that the whole world was on board, that there could not be one left. Said the angel, ‘They are binding in bundles ready to burn.’ Then he showed me the conductor, who appeared like a stately, fair person, whom all the passengers looked up to and reverenced. I was perplexed and asked my attending angel who it was. He said, ‘It is Satan. He is the conductor in the form of an angel of light. He has taken the world captive. They are given over to strong delusions, to believe a lie, that they may be damned. This agent, the next highest in order to him, is the engineer, and other of his agents are employed in different offices as he may need them, and they are all going with lightning speed to perdition.’” –Early Writings, p. 88
If we find ourselves on that train, we had better get off as soon as possible as it is going with lightning speed to perdition.
In the rat race, the foolish are vainly running after the wealth of this world as did Gehazi, the servant of Elisha. “But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.” 2 Kings 5:20. Gehazi received his wealth, but what did it profit him when he was struck by the Lord with leprosy? He became an outcast of society and could not enjoy one bit of it.
So, we are all running. Ask yourself if you are running a rat race, or are you running for the Lord. Those who have had pet rats, gerbils, or hamsters in a cage at home, often had a little wheel in which these animals can run on and get exercise. They run and run, but get nowhere. Similarly as people who run on a treadmill. They run and run, but get nowhere. They end up in exactly the same location for the entire duration of their run. You can compare these two examples to people running in the rat race. They are running, running, running, but never seem to be achieving what they set out to run for—the peace and happiness that is supposed to result from the wealth and fame of this earth. The apostle Paul wrote that he ran, but ran with meaning and purpose, not as the rats do in in their race. “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly.” 1 Corinthians 9:26
What about your spiritual life—is it a rat race? For some people it is. They find it a tiring, exhausting run, and very boring with no time for rest and enjoyment in life. They find life a dull mundane, routine day after day. They feel like mere robots doing their duty, or like rats racing for the “cheese”. They are always intense and earnest, rarely happy and smiling. They are focused on the tasks at hand and that is all consuming. These people are trying to achieve heaven through their own work righteousness, and this never brings a successful and happy outcome.
Martha was like this. She was “cumbered about much serving.” Luke 10:40. Jesus gently told her to take a break and listen to His teachings as her sister was doing. “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41–42. Let us take a moment to reflect on our lives—which way are we running?
The Bible uses the word “flee” many times. The word “flee” entails urgency. It is running away from real, or perceived, danger. In a race, it is not the case of one fleeing from danger. When you flee, you are often fearful for your life. Running as fast as you can to get out of danger. This adds a new element to the race we are running.
If you are running for the Lord in His race, you can be sure that there is danger. The enemy will run after you like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). We must flee—run for our lives. Pharaoh went after the nation of Israel after he released them from their Egyptian bondage. The Israelites were truly filled with fear, but the Lord was with them and He put a pillar of fire between Pharaoh and the Israelites. The Lord will also protect you from the enemy who is chasing you, but yet you must still run and flee from the enemy. The Israelites were delivered from Egypt. Now they fled the enemy and began to run for the Lord.
Many years later, the nation of Israel apostatized and the Lord asked them where they were fleeing for help. “And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?” Isaiah 10:3. In this race, you will get help. Satan will help coach those in his rat race to obtain some material wealth. He does give them some riches and honour, but he does not promise happiness, peace, and eternal life. Those are sacrificed for his race. The Lord also coaches, encourages, and helps His children. He does not promise earthly fame and wealth, but He does promise peace, happiness, and eternal life. Who do you want as your coach and trainer in this race?
If you have a poor trainer, you will not be able to run well. In an earthly race, if you succeed at one level, you often advance to the next, more challenging one. And so also in the spiritual race; you need to succeed in the smaller races, in order to advance to the higher levels. The Lord leads people onwards and upwards. “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?” Jeremiah 12:5. If we neglect the minor tasks of life, how can we undertake the greater responsibilities that may come to us? If we succumb to the smaller temptations of everyday life, how can we overcome in the greater crises of life? If we cannot endure the lesser troubles of life, how can we withstand the terrible tribulations that will yet come upon us? If we fail to meet the situations of the present day with faith and trust, how will we be able to stand the most unendurable hardships and almost overmastering delusions that will come upon us during the time of trouble? Today you must train and successfully run the smaller races in preparation for the larger ones ahead.
In their quest for success, sometimes people do not care who they trample on along the way. They are determined to obtain that “cheese”, even if they trample over other rats to get at it. “For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.” Proverbs 1:16. Here it says that people are running quickly towards evil. They seem to be in a hurry to reach evil. The rapidity of degeneration of one who has cast in his lot with evil men is frightening. They run with the devil. Before long the conscience is so hardened that the thought of murder does not bother them, even for those who have been brought up in the faith.
Asahel, the brother of King David’s general, Joab, was running after Abner in one of the final wars between the house of David and the house of King Saul. Abner was stronger, but Asahel was swifter. Abner warned Asahel not to come closer, but Asahel kept running and it cost him his life. When he met the stronger enemy, the enemy took his life (2 Samuel 2:19–23). This was a sad ending, but he was warned. You can compare Asahel with many people, running toward evil. Even though they have been warned of the danger, they keep running, and in the end their lives are taken. Some youth who have grown up in the church, having been warned of the dangers in the world, do not care. They still choose to run towards evil. Evil is stronger than you. Do not run towards it, run away from it.
The Lord wants to deliver every person from the rat race of this world and turn them around to start running in the opposite direction. He sends His Holy Spirit to every soul on this earth, but sadly the majority ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit and are content to keep running their rat race. “For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.” Isaiah 30:15–16
The Lord will send punishments even to try to wake people up and turn them around. “But if ye will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise My statutes, or if your soul abhor My judgments, so that ye will not do all My commandments, but that ye break My covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set My face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.” Leviticus 26:14–17. It sounds like the people become insane—paranoid. They run when no one is chasing them.
“Men’s hearts failing them for fear.” Matthew 21:26. Their hearts fail, not because of danger but because of fear. Something very small will frighten them. ”And the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.” Leviticus 26:36. A leaf falls and they run for their lives as though chased by a man with a weapon. “The wicked flee when no man pursueth.” Proverbs 28:1. Running away from the Lord can lead to insanity and paranoia, especially for those who have known the truth.
People may try to run away from the Lord. They may run, but they cannot hide. “Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.” Psalm 139:7–8. Jonah tried. “But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” Jonah 1:3. His flight was futile in that the Lord found him and he went through that experience in the belly of the whale before he went to do the Lord’s bidding.
The choice is yours. We are encouraged to get out of the rat race and run towards Jesus. “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” Psalms 34:14. To pursue is to make an earnest effort to obtain. We must flee from evil, and at the same time seek to do good. Seek and pursue peace, and the Lord has promised to provide. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;” Matthew 7:7. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it, and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10. Covered by the grace of Jesus, the sinner is a fortress impregnable to Satan and his temptations.
Eternal life requires urgent action; we do not just walk or drift into heaven. But, it is not a sad race filled with anxiety, stress and sorrow. The Lord promises to run with us, giving us help and comfort along the way. “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31. What a wonderful promise; we will not become weary in this race. We can run and run, as did Elijah when he ran before the chariot of Ahab in the driving rain, and we will not become weary (1 Kings 18:46).
We do not have to be the first one at the finish line, as in earthly races, or the most wealthy and prestigious, as in rat races. All we have to do is keep running. “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:14
“Flee, save your lives.” Jeremiah 48:6. We are to flee to Jesus, but where are we to flee from?
It is important to recognize who the enemy is. He will not come to you looking like an evil devil, with two horns and a pitchfork. He often comes clothed as an angel of light. Therefore we must pray for wisdom to recognize the enemy when he comes. “And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from Him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” John 10:4–5. When the enemy is revealed to you, flee from him. Do not stop to listen to him as did Eve. At the first moment of temptation, send a prayer to Jesus to help overcome the temptation and run away from it. Then you are running the race of the Lord.
The apostle Paul gave a few counsels regarding the spiritual race, times when one should flee (entailing urgency). He stated that one should, “Flee fornication.” 1 Corinthians 6:18. Do not stop to parlay with the tempter when he confronts you with any kind of immorality. Do not stand and argue—just flee. “Flee from idolatry.” 1 Corinthians 10:14. Idolatry comes in many forms, without and within. “Flee also youthful lusts.” 2 Timothy 2:22. Flee these things. Get as far away as possible, as quickly as you can.
We are told to go out and flee from Babylon. Although Babylon is not a physical city today, in this world Babylon (confusion) is all around us. “Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; He will render unto her a recompense.” Jeremiah 51:6. You may be physically out of Babylon, but your heart may still be in Babylon.
Modern day false Christianity is one of his most successful deceptions, as he is disguised as an angel of light. Interesting that in the Old Testament, Jeremiah told the people to flee from Jerusalem. Was not Jerusalem the city of God’s chosen people? Was there not safety within the fortress of the city? Could we not equate those false Christian movements, who claim to follow the teachings of the Bible, and living for Christ, but are not willing to keep all of God’s commandments to Babylon? “O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem.” Jeremiah 6:1. “I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings is not good. . . .
“God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness.” –Early Writings, p. 124–125. Run away from these meetings.
What about within the walls of God’s church? Could there be lukewarm believers? We are told to flee from anyone who is leading us away from our faith. Ask yourself if your friends and associates are drawing you closer to God, or further away. Are you able to encourage them to a higher course? If not, “Even though you may not feel able to speak a word to those who are working on wrong principles, leave them. Your withdrawal and silence may do more than words.” –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1155. “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1 Corinthians 15:33. Leave them. Do not waste your time.
Although we may not flee physically, we can always flee to the Lord, in spirit, wherever we are. ”In the LORD put I my trust: how say Ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?” Psalm 11:1. When we are in danger, we can run to Jesus who is our mountain; our Rock of safety.
While we are to run away from the world and its influences, we are to run to the world with the good news that Jesus is coming soon to deliver us from the rat race of this world. “And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word.” Matthew 28:8. “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth.” Jeremiah 5:1
“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered: let them also that hate Him flee before Him.” Psalm 68:1. The promise is, as we run to Jesus, Satan, while trying to hold us back, eventually will flee from us. He hates Jesus and cannot be in His presence. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. “Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty Name” –Christ Triumphant, p. 219
The most sad time of running will be when probation has closed, and there is no more hope for those who have rejected the mercy of God while the door was still open. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jeremiah 8:20. At that time they want to enter the race for the Lord, but it is purely from selfish motives, and it is too late. “And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.” Amos 8:12. They are running in futility.
My prayer is that we will all run for the Lord today. If you are running the rat race of the enemy in the world, turn around right now, “lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.” Galatians 2:2. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1
At the end of our lives, or if Jesus comes before we die, how wonderful it would be to hear the words of Jesus tell us, “Ye did run well.” Galatians 5:7. And for us to be able to say as did the apostle Paul, “That I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain.” Philippians 2:16
The “race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.” Ecclesiastes 9:11. You may not be the fastest runner, but if you do not stop, but run with the Lord, He will set the appropriate pace that you can keep up. Just do not stop. The end is near—the finish line is within sight. Keep your eyes focused upwards to the finish line. Jesus is there waiting for you with outstretched arms, and He has a golden crown for you as your victory prize. May God help each one of us to reach the finish line and enjoy the eternal rewards waiting for us, and the eternal presence of Jesus who has run with us throughout our sojourn here on this earth. Amen.
Wendy Eaton