Going the Distance

Like many of you, I recently watched the Olympics. I saw favorites win medals in their specialties and unlikely winners emerge in individual and team sports. These athletes train for years with coaches who fine tune their skills so that their hard work results in an Olympic medal.

As I watched, it became quite clear to me that there are similarities between these athletes and Christians. Training for a specific event becomes practicing the means of grace and using our unique spiritual gift for the “events” we are given. We admire the Olympians who endure, overcome obstacles, and persevere, all of which we are called to do in our spiritual growth. First Corinthians 9:24 tells us “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it” (NRSV). I believe the “you” in this case is plural, and Paul is suggesting that every single person who runs the race with a focus on Christ will win the prize, which is eternal life in the presence of our Father. Looking at past and present Olympians, it is easy to see how qualities of maintaining focus, endurance, versatility, and perseverance helped them to win. It is equally easy to see how Scripture addresses these same qualities for us.

Sydney McLaughlin, gold medalist in 400-meter hurdles, spoke after her win:
“Records come and go, the glory of God is eternal…I no longer run for self-recognition, but to reflect His perfect will that is already set in stone. I don’t deserve anything. But by grace, through faith, Jesus has given me everything.”

She is expressing the idea stated in Hebrews 12:2a (The Message), “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished the race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because He never lost sight of where He was headed….”

An earlier Olympian, Eric Liddell, Scottish son of missionaries to China whose story was made popular in the movie Chariots of Fire, experienced a turn of events where this verse in Hebrews again applies. In the Paris Olympics of 1924, he was set to compete in the 100-meter race, but because of the race’s being scheduled on Sunday, he refused to run since Sunday was “the Lord’s Day.” Instead, he was entered in the 400-meter race, one which required greater endurance than the one for which he trained. Reflecting on his chances of winning, he said, “Well, when the gun goes, I go as fast as I can, and I trust to God that I’ll have the strength to do the second half.” He kept his eyes on Jesus, and he won!

Endurance and perseverance are necessary for all events, both individually and as a team. A surprise winner in the decathlon, Markus Rooth from Norway demonstrated endurance in ten grueling tests of strength and skill. The Men’s 4 rowing team endured hours of training in a demanding sport, persevering to win gold after not winning for 64 years. Similarly, the work of missionaries takes years of training, learning languages, meeting government opposition, disease, and death. In the 1700’s John Wesley rode on horseback for over 250,000 miles, enough to circle the earth ten times, carrying the gospel message at home and abroad. Half a century later, William Carey worked in India for 10 years before having someone receive the gospel message and baptism. He was also working at the time in translating the Bible into a language accessible to the Indians. Following him to India in 1834, Adoniram Judson and his wife Ann were planning to continue Carey’s work there, but the government refused them permission to enter. Instead, they went to Burma, now Myanmar, where the death of an infant daughter could have ended their mission. However, the Judson’s overcame these obstacles and proceeded to learn the native language and translate the Bible into Burmese. It was several years before they, like Carey, had anyone convert to Christianity, but after one, the number grew exponentially. They had remembered what Carey had said years before, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

There were many standouts, from Kate Ledecky showing perseverance by competing in four Olympics, from 2012 to 2024, and Stephen Nedoroscik, the “Clark Kent/Superman” of the pommel horse whose special gift for that event became clear even as he was not the favorite at the beginning of the gymnastics competition. New world records were set, one particularly impressive by Mondo Duplantis, from the USA but competing for Sweden, in the pole vault. We can look to our own church to see examples of perseverance, specialized performances, and results greater than anticipated: Pastor Tommy, continuing to serve God into his 90’s, cooking talents from Dave Rogers and the kitchen brigade, growth of our youth program through the guidance and dedication of Larissa.

Some in our church family are just beginning their training, have yet to specialize in one area and are still discovering their spiritual gifts, some have endured for years, even decades in their area of service, some are running the second half of their race. Hebrews 12:1 urges us:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

We have a stadium filled with fans cheering us on! With Jesus, we are all winners of a prize far greater than gold!