Every couple of years, the Olympics take place and sets the whole world in a stir of competition as the world's greatest athletes compete for their respective countries and for the chance to be deemed the very best at their sport. To win the gold medal at the Olympics is the crowning achievement for these athletes who have spent, in some cases, their whole lives preparing for a chance, usually only a single in their lifetimes, to win.
Think of the years of preparation for an event that can sometimes take mere moments to complete. The 100m freestyle swimming event, for instance, is over within seconds, and a lifetime's worth of training comes to fruition. But, as the pool settles and the water returns to its rest, the times come in to determine whether one is a winner or not.
It is at this season when two particular verses of Scripture continually come to mind: 1 Cor. 9:24-27 and Hebrews 12:1-2. Both of these passages deal with the theme of perseverance and endurance for the purposes of godliness and sanctification. There is a sense, for both Paul and the writer of Hebrews, that the Christian is to train for godliness so as to be prepared to run the long race that is the Christian life.
Paramount to this is to understand that while each one of us is running our own race, we each run it together; we are not running individually. This may seem paradoxical, because we are competing both in an individual event as well as a team event. However, our individual race is done with the power fo the Holy Spirit, who empowers us with the strength and stamina to fight the good fight and to stay true. Additionally, the team event is the Church, both the global Church and the local church. Both are important, as we, as individuals, need to rely on each other continuously for strength and for encouragement. Let us then heed the words of Hebrews and begin to take our training much more seriously, because our competitive event is life itself:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every sin and weight which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is marked out for us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1-2)."
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