Every four years the world holds Olympic Games in a chosen country. It’s one of the biggest sporting highlights across the world with about 207 participating countries. These Games bring together people of various countries in a way that nothing else does. It gives athletes a sense of dignity and a chance to celebrate our shared humanity and to perform fairly and honestly to the best of our abilities. The Olympic creed expresses at best the Olympic spirit, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle….” Athletes and spectators around the world watched the television events cheering their favorite athletes from their living rooms; witnessed thrills of victory and agony of defeat in sports.
Our everyday life in Christ is likened to Olympics and described as race. Each sunrise presents new challenges as we move along in life. Even though we are not professional athletes, but nonetheless, we are in a race that is spiritual in nature. As with Olympic athletes, the hopes for Gold is reflected on daily basis as they pursue their goal with passion, commitment, loyalty, determination, discipline and hard work. The Christian life is a difficult marathon that we must run.
BECOME CITIZEN: First, you have to become a citizen of country you desire to represent. If you intend to represent heaven’s kingdom, you have to become her citizen by placing your saving faith in Jesus Christ and pressing on until you cross the finished line. It means you have to be born again or accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and the Lord of life (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17). As Christians, ours is race of lifetime, a marathon not a sprint. Allegiance and love to Christ demands a longtime commitment.
“SET BEFORE US” The Olympic committee wouldn’t select you but God Almighty through His son Jesus Christ and He chooses you to make the team by trusting Christ saving grace. We simply follow and stay on course in spite of trials and persecution (Heb 12:4-11). The same God had “The joy set before Christ.” You may not like parts or whole set of the course, prone to grumble or disheartened, you have to submit wholly or else you fall apart the way and not make the finished line.
RUN TO WIN: Finishing well is everything. “…Run in such a way that you may win” (1 Cor. 9:24). No one enters a race with the mind set of dropping out on the way. The world celebrates winners and not losers. To win is not to beat other runners but the prize is to become a spiritual champion – one sold out to Jesus, straining to become more like Him every day. The finish line of faith is a life that is more Christ-like today than yesterday. Put in maximum effort (Phil 3:12); strain spiritual muscles to win (1 Cor. 9:24-27); Focus on the reward/prize (Phil. 3:12; Rom 8:29).
FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS: Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross despising the shame and has sat down….. Heb 12:2-3). Fixing our eyes on Jesus requires taking our eyes off ourselves. We require to continuously examining ourselves to see if we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13: 5). He’s the captain of that kind of faith and He brings it to perfection or completion. He perfectly finished His race, He is the focus of our lives and already at the finished line (Lam 3:25; Matt 6:33; Rom 2:7). No matter how long the race may be we keep our eyes on Jesus; “The champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (1 Tim 4:7; Heb 12:2).
RUN WITH ENDURANCE: The word “Endurance” suggests the necessary of opposition, the fortitude to overcome, obstacles, persecutions and tribulation if we shall hold on the prize. We must “continue in the faith” (Acts 14:21-22), steadfastly to the end, then obtain the prize (Heb 3:5-6, 14). Winning this race will require great endurance, perseverance, and patience and resolve. Victory necessitates that we run with undying persistence, steadfast endurance and discipline until we reach the finish line victoriously. A marathon is strenuous test of fitness and endurance. It requires faith, stamina, commitment and discipline, righteousness and gentleness (1 Cor. 9: 25-26; 1 Tim 6:11).
SELF CONTROL: Now everyone who competes exercise self control in everything (1 Cor. 9:25).Apostle Paul advised Timothy, “Train yourself in godliness (1 Tim 4:7). Self control is the principle of discipline. There are certain things you have to give up if you are going to thrive to win a race that God has set before you. It demands that we do away with “anything that hinders, get in shape and stay in shape….”(1 Cor. 9:27).
LAY ASIDE EVERY ENCUMBRACE (WEIGHTS): i)“Everything that hinders” – lapses and whatever else that threatens our relationship with God (Heb 12:1b). It could refer to physical weight (Obesity) or unnecessary baggage; anything that slows them down or drain their energy. It may not necessary be sin but distractions Ii) Sins that so easily entangles us – Matt 13:22): We cannot run a Christian race well if we are bound up in the snares of sinful living. Those things that seem so satisfying in the moment can take off our eyes on the prize and instead keep us fixated on temporary thrills (Rom 8:13). Apostle Paul said, not everything good is helpful; so I refuse to let anything have control over me (1Cor. 6:12; 10:23).
PREPARATION/STRICT TRAINING PROGRAM: It takes months or years of preparations for athletes to get ready for event. The actual competition takes couple of minutes but getting ready takes several years. Even though most athletes have uncommon abilities but they need to train to improve their endurance and technique. Becoming a spiritual champion needs not only striving hard but also to train wisely. Be part of Church community, hear good sermons and participate in bible study, read great Christian books; get involve in stewardship, evangelism and worship service, etc (1 Cor. 9:24-26).
PLAY BY THE RULES: There are no short cuts to success or finish line. You must train and play to the rules or get disqualified and drop out. “If you competes as an athlete, you will not receive the prize /crown unless you competes according to the rules (2 Tim 2: 2-6 (5). Do you know that in a race all the runners run but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it (1 Cor. 9:25). Do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air (1 Cor. 9:26).
REWARDS/ CROWN/PRIZE: In a race, every runner has a goal… The stake in every race is the reward: crown, prize, the finish or the triumph. That is what drives the athletes to strive to participate and stay focus until reaching the finish line and win. There is a reward: a crown or Prize given to the winner…..those who win the race shall wear the crown (2 Tim 4:8). Gold stands for excellence and has the highest worth. “… So run to obtain it or win the prize”(1 Cor. 9: 24; Phil 3:14; Rev 22:12).
THE CLOUD OF WITNESSES: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses….” (Heb 12:1). We are surrounded by “Saints” down through ages to comfort and encourage us, some have past; they lived before us while others are living whether they are famous or not (Heb 11). These people have lived lives of faith, following God, worshipping Jesus and leaving us a rich heritage and spiritual legacy. In our Churches and Christian communities, we have both in the pews and pulpits those whose lives are of faith and examples worth following and emulating (1 Cor. 4:17). There are other hindrances that keep us from running the race even when the crowd is cheering on us.
As long as we live, we are still prone to making mistakes and repenting, we have not reach yet the finish line, so like Paul we can say, “I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me, So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize” (Phil 3:12). Run the race, keeping our eyes on Jesus, with the hope that God work on us to give us expected reward (Phil.1:6).