You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else about it and then missing out myself. 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27, MSG.
Gracious God, how thankful we are to You for allowing us to break the bread of life in Your presence. We ask that You will come near and breathe on us, that we might leave this place of study, filled with the Holy Spirit.
As I was preparing this devotional I went online to see how some modern day athletes prepare for the Olympics. I saw an athlete in Beijing, who was practicing for the Olympics. Well, what I saw was more comical than I had bargained for. However, in spite of how funny the video was, one thing was quite evident: this athlete took his training very seriously. He ran against cars, trucks, trolleys, everything that was in motion, no matter how fast they were going. He jumped into cement, and sand, piles, to practice his high jumps. He took a gentleman’s fishing rod (that is what it looked like), and used it to practice throwing the javelin; and in the middle of a main thoroughfare, he practiced throwing the discus. It was absolutely amazing his “stop-at-nothing,” attitude! I truly hope it paid off! He met some mighty angry people who did not share his enthusiasm! But that did not stop him.
He was doing all of this in the hope of receiving a medal. This medal, no doubt, would add much prestige to his life. A recipient of an Olympic medal, be it gold, silver, or bronze, finds him or her (self), suddenly standing before many open doors of opportunity, that, up to this time, were closed to him, or her. No doubt, Paul had watched athletes in his day prepare for the games. Or, perhaps, because of his Jewish background, he had not been so taken up in witnessing the sport, as reading, about the intense preparation of the athletes, and their urgency, to “give these games their all.” Maybe he found their zeal worthy to be emulated by Christians. Perhaps he saw it as the kind of zeal that a Christian should have, while preparing to meet Jesus.
These athletes did not enter these games in an effort to get rich. More important to them, was the honor, prestige, and glory, that winning one of these wreaths, made of leaves, would bring. The kind of leaves that composed these wreaths depended on the location of the games. At Olympia, the wreath was made of wild olive leaves; at Delphi, the winner was awarded a wreath made of laurel leaves. At Corinth, it was a pine crown, and at Nemea, it was a wild celery crown (The Olympic Museum, 2nd edition 2007). These wreaths, under the best of conditions could last, perhaps, at most, a week. But long after the leaves changed their color, far beyond the endurance of the wreath, was the feeling of honor and glory, that would remain in the heart of that athlete, perhaps, for as long as he lived!
We are also in a race; and the Lord is preparing our crowns. These are not perishable crowns. More importantly, not only one person will receive a crown. All who run in this race, and persevere unto the end, will receive a crown of life, that will last forever! This race is not for the swift, but for the persevering. It is for those who will not give up in the face of discouragement! It is for those who may slip and fall, but will get up and continue in the race. It is for those who will not look behind them, or beside them, but will keep their eyes on Jesus, the Author, and Finisher of their faith. No one is excluded from these games. All you have to do, is come just as you are, with a sincere desire to be saved, and allow Jesus to save you.
Why settle for a crown of leaves, when you can have a crown of life?