Crossing the Finish Line (2 Timothy 4:5–10)

When preparing for a marathon, there is a goal that is set in the runner’s mind months prior to the actual race. Much preparation, exercise, and sacrifice has been paid for by the athlete. The several hours of the race will be the pay off for all the training that was put in. The marathon runner has to note the proper diet, running shoes to wear, type of training, and the proper coaching to be a successful runner. The main goal for the marathon runner is crossing the finish line. As we read in the passage to Timothy, Paul was also running a race. His wasn’t a physical marathon, but in many ways it was comparable. So today we’re going to look at a bit of Paul’s journey and some other texts in scripture that point us towards how to train for our own spiritual marathon. How do we best prepare to run the race well and to cross our own finish line some day?