Olympics began in late nineteenth century with its roots originating from the Ancient Greece. In order to be successful in their competitions, athletes are required to devote hours of time in training and conditioning to bring themselves to the peak of their physical condition to be able to compete other athletes for the experience of being crowed with a laurel wreath awarded by the reigning king (or Caesar) as a reward for being the best of the best.
As the first day of the Games progressed, I could not help but watch how dedicated and focused those athletes were in reaching the podium. Even if it was not documented by the television, all athletes were nervous long before they compete. They will go through the routines many times down to every detail, practice for many hours every week, and diet to be able to experience fifteen minutes of fame. I admire them because of the sacrifice and devotion that they have to make for the past four years (or more) into intense training and conditioning to participate in the Games. In a sense, the athletes who compete at the Games are the apotheosis of athleticism, but they are still humans like us.
Their bodies will not last forever. They will become older and decide to retire from the Games to pursue their less extravagant lives. Their bodies will lose the skill to be dexterous and give way to age. They will die one day. With or without gold medals.
What if there was a gold medal that every athlete was guaranteed to receive in their lives only if they will devote their whole lives to it? What if there was a laurel crown waiting for them in the end that they will not lose if they preserved to the very end? What if their spot on the podium was already guaranteed and there is no silver and bronze medals to be issued? What if I said that this crown was available for us, not just for athletes of the world?
"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." ~1 Corinthians 9:25
We, the Christians, have to commit ourselves to strict training just like the Olympian athletes do in a spiritual sense. EVERYBODY who competes in the games trains strictly to get a crown will be terribly disappointed. It won't last. It won't fulfill their hearts forever. It will disappear. It is perishable. On the other hand, Christians should and are commanded to spend their whole lives training themselves so that they will be able to receive the crown that will last forever when they die. Through our spiritual fitness, we will train ourselves to be “spirits of steel” through the learning of the Bible, suffering through trials and temptations, and with the fellowship of our fellow believers. "How do we train?" Paul explains this in one of his letters to Timothy:
"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." ~1 Timothy 4:8
"Physical training has some value? Do you mean that it is worthless? How can we train to gain the crown of life?" Physical training has some value because, like I mentioned earlier, the body that we conditioned into will not last forever. Our muscles will become less rigid and stately. We will eventually succumb to our oldest enemies: age. So, therefore, physical training, even if it has some merit, is not worth spending a whole life to. It is worthless. Seems like all hope is lost? Should we just sit down and be a couch potato for our whole lives? By no means! How are we to gain the crown of life?
The crown of life lies into our devotion of becoming godlier. "Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." My brothers and sisters, if we attempt to live a godly life, we will end our races with a glittering crown on our heads, adorned with treasures beyond our own wildest imaginations. We have to commit ourselves to strict training spiritually. We have to turn our lazy and fat lump of souls who is accustomed to conformable way of life in this world to strong and fit group capable of running the marathon of our lives. We have to challenge ourselves beyond our comfort zones. We have to be willing to take the extra step in faith when it seems like the future is black. We have to experience suffering and persecution in order to become spiritually strong. We have to hold fast to our Anchor when all hope seems to be lost.
Sounds tough? That is why it requires our whole life devoted to this type of training. We have to commit ourselves to this goal. If we do not stick to it, then all is lost.
I thought that a poem from my dear friend should be added so you can understand what it means to preserve through the race:
A baby's first cry pierced the jubilant air.
A gunshot sounded and reverberated through the air.
Smiles glowed from the beaming faces of the new parents
Clinging on to her father's steady hand
She took her first step of the countless to come.
The crowd roared as the runner took off
Shouting encouragements
She headed toward the long path of life.
Grains of time fell through the hourglass
With her budding teeth
Her jaws closed onto her first solid food.
The sneakers pounded the gravel rhythmically
Panting
Lessons of endurance echoed in her head.
Hormones raged
Mountains and valleys came
Dust collected on the Word
Superficial laughter of her friends echoed
A heart grew heavy.
Her body cried out
Deprived of her daily nourishment
A pair of legs grew weary.
Unable to piece together a shattered heart
With no methods that brought forth healing
She gave her heart to the only true Doctor in her life.
Crashing on the gravel-coated path
Blood flowed from her wounds and cried out
A strong, loving Hand lifted her up.
Singing with joy
Adrenaline coursing
Despair
She watched helplessly
Her friends indulging in the cheapened version of life.
Confusion
She watched helplessly
The other runners ran off the narrow track of life.
Her so-called friends jeered
Turned away and rejected
She trusted the One the world had murdered.
People from the sidelines flung stones
Battered and rejected
She kept her eyes on the Prize.
True Love came
Sunshine peeked through the clouds
Everlasting vows exchanged in ecstasy
First kiss as husband and wife
Two flesh became one.
A mate appeared
Forevermore running side by side
Two pairs of feet ran together as one.
Alone no more
True and steadfast lifelong friends
Laughter and love mingled.
A lonely path no more
Packs joined
Laughter and encouragement mingled.
Bringing forth new beginnings
Smiling as gunshots echoed in the faraway landscape
A stand of white hair appeared
She left it as it was
For she knew.
The runner saw the golden glow in the horizon
Ahead of her
And she knew.
Raspy air breathed out of her laboring lungs
A last breath- a flower wilted
Tears of grief fell.
Sweat pouring, eyes a-glowing
A last burst of energy- a ribbon broke
Tears of joy fell.
"Well done, my good and faithful servant!" The King of Kings proclaimed.
A glittering Crown of Life was placed upon her head.
She was finally Home.
~Jessica, 2006
Preserve to the very end of this race. Don't give up. Keep on running. Keep your eyes on the prize. Do not let anybody distract you from this finish line. It might seem tough at times, but nobody said that the training and race would be easy. The crown of life is promised to those who are faithful in their training and race. It is okay if you fall sometimes during the race, but what matters the most is that we all reach the finish line. There is a glittering crown of life waiting for us all at the end. We will be able to achieve our lifelong dreams: standing on the podium as a champion in this race of our lifetime. Paul speaks about reaching the finish line in joy:
"[...] I [Paul] have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." ~2 Timothy 4:7-8Blessings!
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