YOU SHALL NOT RUN IN VAIN

Apostle Paul,in today’s text,reveals to us the possibility of running and running in vain. Note that the text is not making reference to the one who doesn’t run at all but to the one who engages in the activity of running. To run means to labor. It means to exert energy in doing something. To run means to put effort into a given endeavor,it means expending resources on a given task with the aim of achieving good result.

To run in vain on the other hand would mean to waste effort,to waste energy and resources. Running in vain suggests failure,fruitlessness and lack of productivity It applies when effort had been made, work was done but there is no significant result.If your labour is in vain, it has no real value or significance; it is worthless, empty and hollow. It is fruitless, unprofitable, unavailing. You can run and run or play a football match, possess the game,but if you don't score a goal, or if you don't score more goals than your opponent,you are wasting your energy; you are running in vain. Certainly, God doesn’t want His children to pursue vain endeavors that is unprofitable according to 1 Corinthians 15:58. In 2 Samuel 1:1-13,the Bible records the story of a man,an Amalekite who ran many kilometres to deliver a supposed 'good news' to David. He must have been dreaming and fantasising on what David would give him as a reward for killing his number one enemy. He painted his story very well as if he had done a good thing. However,very unfortunately for him, he received no good reward but death. The implication of this is that the man ran in vain. What a fruitless and unprofitable labor!

Coming to mind are the words of Peter F. Sticker. He said, "There is nothing as useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." According to this man,it is useless and mere waste of time and energy to efficiently do what one should not have done at all. This will amount to running in vain. It has no reward at the end.

Beloved of God,running well requires diligence. It is about doing the right thing at the right time and keeping to the rules of the game. It is about knowing the right race to run, the right words to speak and the right people to associate with. Be sure that you are running the right race. Be sure that you are doing the right things.

Prophetic Prayer

I pray for you today:

1. I decree and declare,you shall not run in vain in the name of Jesus

2. You shall not run another man’s race neither shall you work in another man’s field

3. This month,the Lord will make your labor productive and profitable

4. He will terminate your frustrating experiences in your work and career

5. Go and prosper this month

So shall it be in the name of Jesus. Amen

Stay safe, have a blessed day and a fruitful week.

CHRIST IS THE ANSWER.