The Finish Runway

READ: ACTS 20:22-24; 1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27; HEBREWS 12:1-3 Tau entered his coordinates into the dashboard computer, and his location popped up on the screen. He did some calculations and plotted the last leg of his flight. Only 1,312,569 more miles and he’d be home. He could see Earth in the distance, a miniature cobalt crescent. He yawned and rubbed his tired eyes, then programmed in a new series of coordinates, and engaged autopilot. The Perseverance had been a reliable ship for his first Steel Bones Space Marathon, a biennial, interplanetary race. The craft was well-named, as the ever-changing route always encompassed at least five planets. He’d spent the last eight weeks alone in this tiny pressurized cabin. A cheeseburger and a hot shower had never sounded so good. At fifteen, Tau was this year’s youngest contestant. He couldn’t hope to win against the field of more experienced flyers, but he had trained hard, preparing his mind and body for the rigors of the race. He...