1 Corinthians 9:24 – Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (NIV)

While watching the downhill skiing event from the Olympics at Salt Lake City on the television yesterday, I was reminded of a day several years ago when I went skiing with two friends at Big White in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada.

All three of us were reasonably good downhill skiers, and, this morning, we decided to have a little race to the bottom. We started out together, and, as we progressed, I noticed that Dave had gained speed rapidly and wasn't watching so much where he was going. Intently watching a young lady who was just ahead of him, he didn't see the other skier until it was too late. He skied over the back end of the other person's skis, lost control and tumbled into the wooded area beside the run. Dave didn't finish the race, but he did make it to the hospital to get his arm set in a cast.

Wasn't Dave's experience much like we read in today's Scripture? He didn't run his race in such a way as to get the prize. He took his eyes off the goal (the bottom of the hill) and consequently fell.

As Christians, we must keep our eyes on the prize and consistently move towards it, while spreading the Good News. We cannot allow other things to divert our attention from it, or else we too will fall.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, through your Holy Spirit who dwells in us, continue to show us the right path on which we should run our race. Guide us, Lord, towards the goal of eternal life with you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

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