I've been catching some of the Olympic fever lately. Watching Michael Phelps (US) and Park Tae-hwan (S.Korea) in men's swimming has been getting my adrenalin pumping and my heart racing. I've been glued to the tv each night this past week. Phelps is now the most decorated olympian with the most gold medals won in history (5 gold in Beijing so far, and 11 golds altogether); and Park made an incredible comeback from his disqualification at the last olympics in Athens to win the first ever olympic medal (gold) in swimming for S. Korea.
One race in particular, got me up to my feet and hollaring: It was the men's 400m freestyle relay, where the French world-record holders were heavily favoured to win. However, in the last 50m of the race, underdog Jason Lezak (US) who was trailing at least half a body-length behind the French swimming star Alain Bernard, made a herculean comeback from behind to overtake Bernard in the final few seconds and steal gold for the US and a new world record. Whether you were pro-US or not, my guess is that you were up on your feet and hollaring too.
It's amazing to watch these races - the world's greatest athletes coming together to put everything they've got on the line for one shot at olympic glory. The sheer determination on their faces as they come to the finish line is likely only outmatched by the perseverance and discipline within them during their long arduous journeys of training and preparation leading up to the olympics.
Watching the olympics is a reminder to me of the race that I myself am in. The bible tells me to run my life in such a way as to get the prize. It tells me to go into strict training to get not a medal that's made in China, but an eternal prize, the glory of which my imagination cannot even begin to fathom. It says that my race is a short one, and that it should not be run aimlessly, but with perseverance, discipline and determination - with my eyes fixed on Jesus at the finish line. And that I am running not against my neighbour, but against myself, against all of my self-centered desires, insecurities and fears - the challenge being to lay them all down when it counts.
As any athlete will tell you, training for a race involves much sacrifice and self-denial. At times it could involve sacrificing some sleep to get up early in the morning before the sun is up and while others are still sleeping, so that you can discipline your body and mind. At other times it can involve a denial of your self-centered appetite for pleasure, especially at moments of temptation when everyone else around you seems to be giving in to their carnal desires. But I believe that you and I will be stronger and better for it because of the greater desire growing within us. For those who finish the race with Christ, He says to us: "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (1Cor2:9). The reward that awaits us is great - Stay in the race.
"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."
– Jim Elliott
– Jim Elliott
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