I have come to realize many things recently, starting out with a little metaphor.

OK, now picture this: Life is a big race. Right? We start off strong, we grow up, and all the milestones like ages five, 13, 16, 18 and 21—they are all the laps we make around this track. From 21 on, it is no longer about laps, it has come down to the people you are racing with.

Well somewhere along the way, while making those laps, you realize you are pretty much losing the race. You keep running out of fuel, you don’t go fast enough, and at one point you almost leave the track entirely because you don’t have control of your car. You know you definitely don’t want to give up and lose the race, so you need someone to take over driving. Even if it means you don’t win yourself, you still finish and see the race through.

Jesus is the driver you let into your car to finish the race. He makes all the right turns even though sometimes you may not agree with him. You think he needs to go faster, slower and make sharper turns. Despite this, you must know that he will not ever mislead you, and though you try to be a backseat driver and take control from him, now that he is in the driver’s seat, he isn’t going anywhere.

When the race is over, you pull over to the winner’s circle, Jesus has won the race for you. It may be your car, but the trophy doesn’t go to you, it is presented to Jesus; along with this great big party thrown in his honor. You are a little disheartened knowing, on your own, you are not good enough, but you are still invited to this party, and it was your car that won, so you go.

When you get to this party it is not what you expected at all. Jesus is there, the center of attention (as it should be), getting all this praise from the owner of the track. But when you show up, instead of continuing to bask in his victory, which was not easily won. Mind you, Jesus had to listen to you question him, get angry at him, all but kick him out of the car, and still drive it, and control this car on every turn. He had to outrun the other cars, who some could’ve hurt you had you been behind the wheel alone, and he still managed to win, because you finally learned to trust him. His victory was not an easy one.

And when you think, "Man, he really deserved this. All I did was let him drive." He turns to you, and tells the track owner, “Hey, see that person right there? They are just as much a winner, this party, and the trophy you gave me? I did it all for them. They let me in to drive for them, and help them win.” And then proudly and with all this love, Jesus comes over and gives you the trophy. And it has your name on it.

See? Our lives are just like this race. We can’t win alone. Ever. But with Jesus in our hearts, we can finish the race. And though he deserves all the praise and glory from the race, because he is the one who truly had to suffer for us to enjoy that big party, or in other words, heaven. We didn’t do anything. We just finally learned to trust him, and sometimes it is the hardest thing to do, and we will question, get angry, be sad, be ready to give up and throw in the towel, but once he is in our hearts, he isn’t going anywhere. And once we get to heaven, he will turn to the track owner, God, and tell him that we have every right to be there, because we trusted in him, and it is through him that we finished the race and made it there. It is because of Jesus we even got into that party, and once we were there, we will reap all the benefits of Heaven like a trophy, all because of the love and faithfulness of Jesus.