(Please read the passage above before reading the commentary.)
Do you know that we are called to be a sacrifice? Sacrifice does not mean being put on a fire and roasted. It does not mean something negative, something we have to give up. It means something we care about and would willingly do.
It means something positive. Its root meaning is to make holy or consecrate. Christ is our sacrifice, for he has made us holy. We sacrifice when we set time apart for some cause; we sacrifice to God when the cause is God’s.
Paul writes Timothy. As he nears the end of his life, as an old man, Paul reflects on his career as one called by God into sacrifice. He speaks in sacrificial language about being a libation. He is set apart, for something special. Like an athlete he speaks of winning the race, of getting the crown or first place token from God. From his long association with God, Paul shows his confidence in God power and willingness to save and rescue Paul. Paul is the Olympic racer, running night and day, always in training, always set on the task at hand, always preparing for the Olympic race with God.
We are in varying stages of pouring out our lives as libations, confident that God in mercy will accept what we have done. We are in daily training for that one race where the Lord is the crown of righteousness for us.
The challenge is for us to accept the crown by running the race and pouring out ourselves as a libation for God’s cause. God has made us holy by calling us. We have to live this holiness by imitating God’s holiness. This is our race, our challenge.
Paul says that he has longed for God’s appearance. We also long for it. We race for it like an athlete training for the Olympics. We strive for it as we would strive for anything worthwhile in life.