Today, I remember my late brother’s birthday. He passed away a few years ago, beating me in our race towards heaven.

The life of the godly is a long-distance race. The finishing line is in heaven. The apostle Paul speaks about it in Heb 12:1-2. The point he makes is that racers keep their eye on the finishing line. To encourage this focus, Jesus is Himself at the finishing line awaiting their arrival.

Jesus had the same focus when He was on this Earth. On the Cross of Calvary the Lord Jesus Christ looked by faith to the joy that was set before Him, and in this manner He endured the Cross Heb 12:2. 

Sports Day

Similarly, we are to run the Christian race, “looking unto Jesus” at the finishing line, awaiting the arrival of His people. Jesus created faith in His people and they began their race toward heaven. Jesus will finish it when they arrive there.

When one watches infant children at their school sports day, their parents on the sideline shout encouragement to them. So what do some children do? They stop in the middle of the race to turn and wave at their mother on the sideline, who urge them to keep running!

However, the astute mothers stand at the finishing line and encourage their little ones to keep running towards them.  So Jesus is at the finishing line encouraging us to keep looking to Him in our race to the finishing line.  Jesus does not only begin faith in His people but He continues and completes their faith when they cross the finishing line. Their faith in Him will be honoured and rewarded.

Some people think Jesus should be here on Earth, but there are more saints in heaven than there are on the Earth, and the number is growing. Heaven is the natural place for Him to be, to welcome His saints arriving there at the end of their long, faithful lives.

If one takes one’s eye off the destination, one is likely to deviate from the straight route. Those ploughing a furrow or steering a boat, and those orienteering over distances look into the distance to their destination to keep a straight course.

The captain of a ship or an airplane is often seen at the beginning and the end of the journey, but not usually during the journey because he is on the Bridge navigating and attending to the needs of the ship or in the cockpit guiding the plane. Similarly, Christ is in heaven overseeing the advancement of His church and welcoming the arrival of each saint in heaven Jn 14:3.

Will you follow the footsteps of Christ’s flock?