Sprint or Marathon

When I was in high school, I was involved in two athletic teams. I was on the cross country and the track teams. At the time I was in cross-country, it was a two-mile race, not the current 5k. (That was instituted my senior year, the only year I did not run cross-country). When it came time for track, I was not a distance runner; I was a sprinter. The farthest I had to run was 400 meters.
There are major differences between the two, aside from the distance that is run. Sprinters work on quick bursts of speed. Their goal is generally under 400 meters and the quicker they can reach it, the better. Sprinters work on getting finished as quickly as possible.
Distance runners work on stamina and endurance. While speed is important, knowing how to pace your speed is just as important. A marathon runner does not sprint at full speed from the start. If they do, by a half mile, they would be exhausted and unable to complete the race.
Much like athletes, Christians are in a race; a race with a purpose, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” (1 Corinthians 9:24 NASB) The question becomes are Christians in a marathon or a sprint. The answer is both.
Jesse Owens summed up the commitment a sprinter has when he said, “Sprinting is a lifetime of training for just ten seconds.” The same can be said for a Christian. It is a lifetime of training for just ten seconds. Christians must always be prepared to give an answer when asked, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV) In order to be prepared for a short burst, a Christian needs to have some careful training.
It is not always about a quick answer to a question. It is also about a lifelong commitment. It’s not just a sprint, it is a marathon. Just as a Christian does not want to burst out in a sprint; they need to pace their life. There will always be times when they need to be called into service, if they are exhausted, they may not be able to perform. As with anything in life, a Christian must pace themselves.
Above all, a Christian must always be training. A Christian must spend time in study in order to be prepared, “Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 MKJV)
Train for the sprint and train for the marathon. In the end, a Christian will be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV)