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We have at one time in the past couple of weeks have watched a bit of the Winter Olympics that Canada hosted. You have heard of the news of an athlete passing away during practice even before the Olympic parade begun. We were excited when we heard that a Canadian athlete had won a medal, especially if it was the gold medal. We were all cheering for the Canadian hockey team to win the gold. We were rooting for the figure skater whose mom passed away at the time she was to compete in the Olympics. 

Even before setting foot on Vancouver, I am sure each of these athletes had the eye on the gold medal. After years and years of disciplined training and practice, and when the games are finally over, even for those who left empty-handed, they would have felt proud to be able to take part in the greatest and biggest athletic competition on earth. 

I bring up this comparison as we Christians have been called to run the race. In some ways, the Christian race is just like the Olympics, but in many ways, it is not! 

Hebrews 12: 1 Therefore, surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside the weight that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us and run with patience (or perseverance) the race that is set before us.

First off, I particularly like the metaphor used in Scriptures: “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses”. I heard a pastor say that as a Christian, imagine yourself running in a big oval, and in the audience are the angels and saints and Christians in heaven cheering you on from the starting line to the finish line. Imagine the fathers of our faith: Abraham, Moses, Jacob, David, Daniel, and others as the members of the cheering squad. Can you hear them say, “Go, go go!!”,  “Don’t give up!”,  “Keep on keeping on!!”. 

The Christian race is not a speed race, it is not about who gets to the finish line the first or the fastest. It is more of a long distance marathon, it is a race of endurance, of stamina, of perseverance. What matters most is we should finish the race, and we should finish triumphantly.  

The verse says: let us run with patience the race that is set before us.  Most Christians start off strong, eager to share the gospel and just on fire for the Lord. And this is not bad nor is this wrong. But in the course of the race, these Christians lose steam. Either they slow down or completely drop out of the race. I’m sure many of us have heard of the term “backslider” to describe Christians who fall back to their old habits after starting off really well. Or perhaps, they start on the wrong path and just not grow in their faith at all. Some are in the middle of the race and just does not have the energy to continue on. What are our personal hindrances in running the Christian race? We can be faced with discouragements, we stumble and we fall, our faith has just grown cold, or probably we don’t spend enough time to be alone with God reading His words and praying. 

For the Olympics, the gold, silver & bronze medals are at stake. For the Christian race, something more precious is at stake. What is the reward that awaits us at the end of the race? 

Hebrews 12:2 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.

When we get to meet our Lord, Creator and Savior in heaven’s throne, can we say with confidence the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7 - I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

The question I want to ask is: How have you run the Christian race so far?