You and I are in a race. It’s a marathon not a sprint. From the moment you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior until the moment you cross the finish line into His physical presence, you are running a race course He set out specifically and uniquely for you. In all of history and in all the world, no one else is exactly like you. Jesus Christ designed you uniquely and created you from His unique plan for His unique purpose. Therefore, no one else can accomplish the purpose He has ordained for your life. No one else can run your race.

Jesus Christ runs the race with you. Hebrews 13:

⁵ Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

What will it be like when you cross that finish line into His physical presence?

The Bible says there will be no night. Revelation 21:

²³ And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

²⁴ And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

²⁵ And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

The Bible says there will be no sorrow or tears. Revelation 21:

⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

The Bible says there will be nothing unholy. Revelation 21:

²⁷ And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

The Bible says there will be a dwelling place prepared by Jesus Christ just for you. John 14:

²In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

The Bible says you will receive a crown of righteousness. 2 Timothy 4:

⁶ For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

⁷ I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing

The Bible says you prepare your garments for the Bridegroom-Revelation 19:

⁸And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

But what will the moment when you first come into the presence of the physical person of Jesus Christ be like? I anticipate a very private, personal, uniquely meaningful to both Him and you moment. I anticipate He will not just welcome you as one of many runners completing their races but as uniquely you completing your race.

Jesus Christ’s prayer prayed for you more than 2,000 years ago will be answered

John 17:

²⁴ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

How will He greet His prayer’s answer for you after waiting 2,000+ years?

What will you see on His face? Joy? Love? Friendship? Comraderie? Intimacy?

What will He see on your face? Awe? Joy? Love?  Gratitude?

You will see Him as He is. 1 Corinthians 13:

¹² For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

You shall be changed to be like Him 1 John 3:

² Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

What will you touch first? His feet? His hands? His face? His neck?

What will your first action be? Hug Him? Bow down to Him? Clap your hands? Kiss Him?

Shout for joy? Shout for victory? Thank Him?

Face to face with Christ, my Savior-Carrie Breck, 1898

Face to face with Christ, my Savior, Face to face—what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me?

chorus

Face to face I shall behold Him, Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory, I shall see Him by and by!

Only faintly now I see Him, With the darkened veil between,
But a blessed day is coming, When His glory shall be seen.

What rejoicing in His presence, When are banished grief and pain;
Death is swallowed up in vict’ry, And the dark things shall be plain.

Face to face—oh, blissful moment! Face to face—to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer, Jesus Christ who loves me so.

When we all get to heaven – Eliza Hewitt, 1898

1. Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing His mercy and His grace;
   In the mansions bright and blessed He’ll prepare for us a place.

Refrain:
When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory!

2. While we walk the pilgrim pathway, Clouds will overspread the sky;
   But when trav’ling days are over, Not a shadow, not a sigh.

3.Let us then be true and faithful, Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory Will the toils of life repay.

4.Onward to the prize before us! Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open; We shall tread the streets of gold.

Questions for Reflection

1) How can you keep focused on your finish line?

2) What are the first words you want to say to Jesus Christ?

3) What words do you want to hear Jesus Christ say to you?

4) What emotion do you anticipate hearing in His voice?

5) Do you expect to see hair missing from His beard, because the soldiers plucked them out?

Isaiah 50:

⁶I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

⁷ For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

6) What will the nailprints look like do you think?

7) What about coming into His physical presence matters most to you?

8) How are marathon runners greeted as they cross the finish line in our world?

9) How does that greeting compare/contrast to the greeting you anticipate from Jesus Christ?

10) How will the life-long intimacy between you and Emmanuel be expressed?

Hebrews 12:

¹ 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,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti