1 Corinthians 9:24-27
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it a slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
I remember in times past I'd hear messages concerning this analogy by Paul and one of the first points that was always made was whether the race Paul is talking about is a sprint or a marathon. Though hearing it many times, I cannot recall whether this passage refers to a sprint or a marathon. The thing is though, I do not think that it really matters.
The analogy is this: We should treat our daily Christian life similar to the way we would run a race. We do not run a race to lose...we run a race to win. The only way to win a race is to train, work hard, and to give it your all. The reason I brought up the point of whether this was a marathon or a sprint is simple. There are two different strategies used depending on if you are running a sprint or a marathon. The two strategies converge though, and are the same at the end of the race. At the end of a race, either a marathon or a sprint, the runner should give his all. He should not be holding back anything but instead should be using every last ounce of energy to get across that finish line.
That is exactly how we are in our Christian life. We should treat our life right now as if we are in the last leg of it and we should be giving our all to finish strong. It is true that we have no idea when Christ will return. It could be another 1000 years before Christ returns. However, it could be tonight that Christ returns. Matthew 3:10 says, "The ax is already at the root of the tress..." We are told the the end is coming, and that we should be expecting it at any time.
So in closing, live your life as if it were to end tomorrow in that you should be completely sold our for God. Run the race that will glorify God so that God will be pleased.