Back when I was in marathon-running shape, I ran part of the Houston Marathon one year with an Aggie buddy who was seriously undertrained for the event. By the time I caught up with him at about mile 18 or 19, he was hurting. I was hurting by this point in the race, too, but not as much; furthermore, it was not my first Houston Marathon, so I kept telling my friend what to expect in the miles ahead before we reached the finish line. The next week, he sent me an email, thanking me for keeping him focused on the finish. (He also said he wished he lived in a one-story house and drove a car that wasn’t so low to the ground, but that is another story for another day.) Running a marathon isn’t the only time it’s good to keep our focus on the finish line. It’s probably much better to think about life’s finish line. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us, “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” That is quite an example of keeping our eyes on the finish line. But why do we need to run a race with perseverance? The writer of Hebrews must have recognized life would have difficulties, and overcoming adversity requires endurance. After all, Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The endurance required for running a marathon doesn’t magically appear on race morning when you pin on your race bib. It comes after months of preparation. Even after all the miles of training, it’s easy to find a reason to drop out of a marathon. It’s hot. It’s windy. It’s cold. It’s raining. You didn’t sleep well last night. You have muscle cramps. You’re tired! Sometimes, you have to ignore the pain and keep putting one foot in front of the other one. Sometimes, you have to walk for a little while. I’m convinced the secret to successfully finishing a marathon is to refuse to consider the possibility of dropping out. The reward is at the finish line, where there’s food, cold drinks, a finisher’s medal, and bragging rights. It’s a wonderful feeling…but I’m pretty sure it is nothing compared to what waits for us at life’s finish line.  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  2 Timothy 4:7