“The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running.” — Anonymous
All across Louisville this week, excitement has been building for the 151-year tradition we call the Kentucky Derby. In a mere two minutes today, the world will watch thoroughly trained three-year-olds thunder down the track at Churchill Downs, chasing a garland of roses and a place in history — “the greatest two minutes in sports.”
Those two minutes, however, are the culmination of years of purposeful breeding, disciplined training, and unwavering focus. Owners invest fortunes; trainers fine-tune every workout; jockeys study every stride. No one just shows up on Derby Day and hopes for the best.
As I think about that, Paul’s words ring in my ears: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24, ESV).
The Christian life is a race of far more significance than a mile and a quarter on dirt. Yet, we sometimes approach it casually, assuming spiritual growth will simply happen. The Derby reminds us that purpose, discipline, and perseverance matter.
Thoroughbreds log countless laps before the starting gate ever opens. Likewise, time in Scripture, prayer, and community forms the spiritual muscle memory we need when life’s track turns muddy. Each horse has a unique running style—front-runner, stalker, closer. God has crafted you with gifts, talents, and strengths that are yours alone. Don’t waste energy comparing yourself to the horse in the next stall. The roar of the crowd grows deafening in the stretch. Hebrews 12:1 urges us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Champion who already secured the ultimate victory.
This Derby Day, as the twin spires loom over Louisville and the call to post sounds, let that trumpet remind you: your life, too, is headed toward a finish line. Lace up your faith. Lean into the turn. And run so as to win the prize that will never fade.