1 CORINTHIANS 9:24
Corinth was home to the Isthmian games – a competition second only to the ancient Olympics. The Isthmian Games took place every two years, during the spring, separated by an alternation of the Olympic and the Pythian Games.
Athletes throughout Greece converged at the Isthmian Games. The most prominent building at Isthmia was a temple dedicated to Poseidon. There was also a stadium, theater and hippodrome used for the athletic competitions.
Unlike the modern Olympic Games where gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to the first three places respectively, in the ancient games, only the winner received the crown. There was no second place award – winning was everything!
Paul encouraged the believers in Corinth to run the race of the Christian life to obtain the prize (the crown). The victor’s crown God bestows will last forever. We win it by running our lives with the aim of obeying His word and making Him known while relying on His strength to do so. What a reason to run!
