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Race for the Crown
Posted By: Rachel Stewart
I love the Olympics. I love gymnastics in the Summer and figure skating in the Winter. Kind of cliché for a girl to say, I know, but it is true! This year was no exception, as my husband and I would sit down for dinner, we would watch them slide around the ice in glitter and sometimes to bad music. But this year, my attitude was a bit cynical. I never really noticed how many times these talented people would fall. We noticed that after the first fall, they would have trouble nailing the consecutive jumps. And I found myself being disappointed and uncomfortable. Are we demanding too much perfection? Do we demand reality be perfect, and when it fails to be so, can't move on? But the beauty was that those athletes did move on. Failed jump after failed jump they continued. One girl broke my heart as I watched her fall three times, but continue with a smile and determined energy. She finished with a smile but after the music ended her head fell into her hands and she mourned.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians that we as Christians are to run a race. His analogy was perfect, because in his time, that culture had the exact same Olympic games were it ended with an endurance race. The one champion would walk away wearing a crown of pine. The Christian walks away from life with an imperishable crown. Paul says "I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air." How many gold medalist do we watch beat the air when they finish? We are asked by Paul to live our lives with the same focus and determination as these athletes we watch, only our goal is not selfish, but selfless. It is training and it is a daily. But we are not alone, if we look to our right and to our left, we should be surrounding ourselves with others who are running the same race. Support and encouragement come from our Christian community. We can all relate to the doubts that fill our head, fatigue from work and victories in the name of our Lord. We are all to be looking to the same finish line. When we fall down or feel like a failure, God still loves us. It is inevitable that we will fall, but it is the getting back up that counts.
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
Another favorite moment of the Olympics is the winners ceremony, where the gold medalist sings their national anthem and their flag is raised highest. What song will be playing when we meet our Lord face to face? My guess is Amazing Grace.
When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.
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