Villages Community Chapel

     Every two years the Olympics become center stage as athletes from all over the world gather to compete and find out how they compare with others either in summer sports or in winter events.  And it isn’t always the “elite”; sometimes the attention of the world is captured by an “Eddie the Eagle” in the ski jumping or by the bobsled team from Jamaica or by an Olga Korbut so unbelievably tiny yet an exquisite gymnast.  We are thrilled about competition with surprise winners or the amazing determination of athletes with no sponsors from undeveloped countries whose dreams capture our imaginations.  For more than a week we learn about sports like gymnastic dance; curling and now even skateboarding.

     Competition is so much more than winning.  It’s the culmination of years of sacrifice, physical and mental discipline and even failing and continuing to try and try again.  And then there is the “Olympic moment” when the winners receive their medals and listen to their national anthem.  It’s glorious and we love it.

     The apostle Paul knew all about races.  In Acts he said in his farewell to the Ephesian believers “my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me”. He points out in Corinthians that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize so run in such a way to get the prize.  And he wrote to Timothy just weeks or days before his execution that “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.”

     Every Christian has a race to run.  The lives we’ve led are different in every way—our abilities, opportunities, physical and mental strengths and weaknesses; our environments in our maturing years; our disappointments and heartbreak and life changing successes are unique to each of us.  And it is our race to run as we depend on our Savior until we enter heaven and see His face.

     So how do we stay in the race and finish well?  The writer of Hebrews tells us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us.  Let’s choose to ask for forgiveness and be loving forgivers. Let’s read, learn and obey the Scriptures. Let’s love our neighbors and serve our community.

     Olympic athletes often weep with joy and pride as they receive their medal.  I suspect we Christians will bow and worship as we are embraced by our longed for Savior.  And we will finally understand that the race He asked us to run was perfect in its purpose and we never ran it alone.

Nancy Canepa.