“Pressing on for that final lap”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Wednesday, October 25, 2023
1 Corinthians 15:51-58 (Forward, p. 88) CEV p. 1203
The apostle Paul begins today’s section by delineating what lies at the finish line of life’s journey. It is a new existence where our dead and decaying bodies are transformed into something new, into something that will last forever. And what that means is that Death will have lost its power once and for all. Sin, the agency that gives Death its sting, and the Law, which gives sin its power, have both been defeated by Christ’s work on the Cross. They have both been defeated, even though we don’t see all the evidence of that quite yet. So, to use a race analogy, there is still one more lap for us to run.
So, Paul calls us to stand firm and not allow ourselves to be shaken in our resolve to press on to the very end. He reminds us that we still have a race to run, a task to perform, a work to be done on behalf of the Lord. So, we should keep busy—and keep in mind that nothing we do on behalf of the Lord is ever wasted or in vain. And yes, that final lap is vital. Thanks be to God.
Forward notes: “Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” (verse 55).
“I started a church meeting by asking the icebreaker question: ‘What is your favourite hymn?’
“I have a long list of favourite hymns but the one I share that day was ‘Abide with me.’ This verse from 1 Corinthians is used as part of that hymn test. It may not rank high on many people’s favourite hymn list, but it’s a song that I associate both with the funerals of loved ones and the hymn we use to conclude our church choir’s annual Christmas caroling events. It’s not a traditional Christmas hymn, but we include it as a way to honour and remember choir members who have died over the years. As the years go by, it is increasingly difficult to sing the song without my throat catching at least once. But even when the words are challenging to sing, I take comfort in the promise that death does not have the last word. Thanks be to God.”
Moving Forward: “What is your favourite hymn? Find a recording or the lyrics and sing along.”