At the end of his life the apostle Paul could boldly declare, in what is now quite a famous verse in the Bible, that he had “finished his course”:

I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith.
— 2 Timothy 4:7; cf. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

And because he had such an assurance before the Lord, he could also go on to say, in the next verse,

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall recompense me in that day—and not only me, but also all those who have loved His glorious appearing.
— 2 Timothy 4:8

But Paul was clear that God had not only given such a course to him; when preaching to the Jews in Pisidian Antioch, he made it clear that John the Baptist also had his course to complete:

Now as John was completing his course he said, Who do you suppose I am? I am nothing. But behold, one is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.
— Acts 13:25

And in fact, the writer of Hebrews (who surely was the apostle Paul; see, “Peter, Paul, & Hebrews,” Note 1 & Note 2), makes it clear that it is not only the great servants of the Lord who have a course to run; every believer in Christ has a “course” we must seek to finish in our life here on earth:

Therefore, let us also, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily besets us and run with endurance the race that is set before us.
— Hebrews 12:2

So, there is indeed a course, or a “race,” set before every believer in Christ that we must run. Moreover, according to this verse, it is not a sprint, but rather, an “endurance” race; surely it is one that will last for our entire life.

May the Lord grant us all to be faithful to run that race throughout our Christian life, so that in the end we may declare, with Paul, “I have finished the course!”

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—  15 November 2025 —