Finish Your Race

 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great

cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles,

and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,

the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him

endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the

throne of God. Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners,

so that you will not grow weary and lose heart...Hebrews 12:1-3

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. II Timothy 4:6-8

The Olympics are over for this year. We admit we are a little disappointed. We love to watch all those athletes pour out their heart, mind, body and spirit. Alas, now we must wait till the next Winter Olympics…

There is something fascinating about the human body and mind that can overcome and push through barriers which were deemed impossible just a few years ago.  That’s not to mention the fuel that propels these seemingly super-humans: spirit. Spirit - something intangible and you can’t quantify it, but you “know” it’s there. Body, mind, spirit. Those three mix together to often create unforgettable moments which are imprinted upon our minds' eyes for years to come. 

The Apostle Paul understood the Greek mindset of athletics and included it in some of his most critical illustrations when comparing their physical striving to the spiritual striving of those who choose to follow Jesus. He even wrote - in what was most likely his last known letter - that he had fought a good fight, finished his personal race and was ready to receive his reward for finishing. 

Note that Paul states, “I have finished the race.” He didn’t pull up short. He didn’t take a short cut. He gave everything. He crossed the finish line.

It reminds us of the following true story:

Prior to the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania was just another marathon runner who had qualified for the Olympics as a runner for his country. But in Mexico City, Akhwari encountered an obstacle he had never faced before: the altitude. This unexpected crisis caused his legs to cramp severely. Early on in the race the cramps set in: but he still kept running.

Then, about halfway through the race, another obstacle: he tangled with some other runners and fell causing a dislocated knee, scraping up his leg, and hurting his shoulder as he fell. But he didn’t stop. 

With terrible injuries and cramped muscles slowing him, he labored on and on and somehow finished the race. One of 75 to start the race, 0nly 57 finished.

When he entered the arena for the final lap, the lights had been turned off, and only a couple thousand people were there. Most had left. Akhwari finished dead last, more than an hour behind the winner. Yet, the few people left began cheering him on as he circled the now darkened track. Although it was true that Akhwari had lost the race, everyone who saw him finish considered him a winner.

In an interview later on, he was asked, “When you were hurt and bruised, bloody, you had to be discouraged? Why didn’t you quit?” His answer: “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”

Unlike the Olympic races, our spiritual race as Christians is not about coming in first. After all, it was Jesus himself who stated: “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.” Our race - which is his race - is about finishing. 

We don’t give up, we don’t quit, we finish the race. Even if we make mistakes, continually fall down, or find ourselves seemingly behind everyone else, we are still called to finish. How? Our finishing is not based on our integrity, our holiness, or even our faith: finishing the race God has laid out before us is solely based on God’s grace and mercy. That is what allows us to finish well. 

God - our heavenly Father empowers us - just like Olympian Derek Redmond’s dad empowered him in his race. Redmond's running career had been frustrated by injury. In 1988, Redmond was forced to withdraw from the opening heat of the Olympic 400m contest only two minutes before the race was scheduled to begin. By the time of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, he had undergone five operations, including one on his Achilles tendon less than four months before the Games began.

In Barcelona, everything seemed to be coming together for Redmond. He recorded the fastest time of the first round and won his quarterfinal heat. As he settled into the blocks for the start of his semifinal race, Redmond later relayed how his mind turned to his father, Jim, and the support he had always given him. Derek got off to a clean start and was running smoothly when, about 150m into the race, his right hamstring muscle tore. He fell to the ground.

As he lay there overcome with pain he saw the stretcher-bearers rushing towards him. But Redmon knew he had to finish the race. He got up and began hobbling forward despite the pain. In one of the most moving moments in Olympic history his father ran out of the stands and joined him on the track. Hand in hand, with Derek sobbing, they continued. Just before the finish, Jim let go of his son and Derek completed the race, as the crowd of 65,000 rose as one and gave him a standing ovation.

Let’s not forget we have a great crowd of “witnesses” around us, cheering us on. Celebrating the fact that we haven’t given in, we haven’t given up. We are going to finish the race.   On your marks! Get set! Go! 

Steve and Missy