John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania came staggering into the stadium more than an hour behind the winner of the 1968 marathon. After the race he simply said, “My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race, they sent me to finish the race”. If in an earthly race, a man can have such a mindset, what excuse do you have, who have the promise of the Father in Romans 8:32-35?

For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give. Who then would dare to accuse those whom God has chosen in love to be his? God himself is the judge who has issued his final verdict over them—“Not guilty!” Who then is left to condemn us? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for us, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph? Who could ever divorce us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love. Romans 8:32-35 (TPT)

Let’s share today, the story of Lurine Cato, the acclaimed British Gospel singer.

From an early age, I loved the Lord and I loved music and singing. I had a major career as a backing singer for international artists, and the world I lived in looked really glamorous. But I would be attracted to all wrong kinds of relationships, usually ones that were controlling and abusive, and I was beaten up and raped. I felt utterly broken beyond repair, and almost chose to end my own life.

I decided that I couldn’t the music scene anymore. I still loved the Lord, but I’m not sure I knew Him as a close friend. For years I had watched my mum pray and I tried to copy how she did it, but nothing seemed to work. It didn’t really feel like a deep connection with the God my mum faithfully served. In my brokenness, I cried out, ‘God, help me to be a true Christian’. After praying that prayer, things slowly began to change…the scripture for the day in the UCB devotional was Jeremiah 29:11 and as I read those beautiful words, I could suddenly see how God saw me. He didn’t see me rejected, helpless, and broken beyond repair, He saw me as His child. As I began to absorb this, it was like my chains suddenly fell off. The enemy wanted me to believe that I could never recover from all the abuse and brokenness, but God wanted me to know that I was His precious child and He could heal me.

My restoration took almost 5 years; it wasn’t a quick fix, but God brought so many people into my life who ministered to me counselled me and loved me. I got the sense that God was refining my character and preparing me for something new. I really felt it would be fulltime ministry because I loved sharing my story with other broken women and see them being restored too…”

Lurine went on to win several gospel awards, singing on the global platform to honour the Lord and her songs can be checked out on the different media platforms.

If God could do that for her, why should yours be different! It’s time to turn to and focus only on Him, bearing in mind our text of today—Philippians 3:12-14 (MSG)—I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

Selah