My wife, Tiffany, became a Formula One (F1) fan last year. It started when she binge-watched Formula 1: Drive to Survive, a Netflix documentary series. Then she started watching all the events during the 2021 racing season. There were 27 scheduled races, though five were canceled due to COVID.

The outcome of the 2021 world championship depended on whether Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen won the Dec. 12 race in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton was the defending world champion and was tied with Michael Schumacher for most world championships. If Hamilton won, he would be the greatest F1 driver of all time.

Verstappen, Hamilton’s junior by 13 years, led in points going into the final race. A win in this race would mean his first world championship.

Tiffany had tried to rope me into watching F1 racing all year long, but I resisted, more interested in books than cars. I caved for the final race, however.

As we celebrate Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost, let us remember that Jesus wins in the end.

And so, on Dec. 12, we gathered in the family room to watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Because of the time difference, we had taped the race. Tiffany imposed a social media blackout throughout the house to make sure the outcome wasn’t spoiled for her.

I didn’t care about the result one way or the other, so during a dull stretch, I went into the next room and sneaked a look on my iPhone. Verstappen had beaten Hamilton and won his first world championship. My wife would be pleased.

However, I couldn’t tell Tiffany this. So, I put on my best poker face, returned to the family room, and watched 45 laps of a race that had already been won.

You might think doing so would be boring, but it wasn’t. I knew who won the race, but I didn’t know how. For most of the laps I watched, Hamilton held a commanding lead. But on the last lap, Verstappen was able to first catch then pass Hamilton. It was a stunning victory.

And it prompted this eschatological insight:

As Christians, we know the Champion of life’s race. It is Jesus Christ, who lived a sinless life, died an atoning death, rose again, poured out the Holy Spirit upon us, and promised to return again in glory. This season, as we celebrate Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost, let us remember that Jesus wins in the end.

We don’t know what that race looks like for us between now and then, however. At times, it might even seem like we are losing. Regardless, our job is to keep driving, taking one turn, then one lap, at a time.

Jesus has already won, and all who finish the race for Him will share in His victory (1 Corinthians 15:57).

This article appears in the spring 2022 issue of Influence magazine.