RUNNING WITH ENDURANCE
Been watching the Olympics? Have you noticed the cheering crowds? The role of the crowd plays a huge part in
the life of the athlete. The shouts of
the crowds in Rio can be heard throughout the wide spectrum of events, from table
tennis and fencing to swimming and beach volleyball events.
While every sport has its own custom
for when it is appropriate to cheer and when quiet is expected, none of that
seems to apply there. The Rio Games have only just begun, but already the exuberance
of local fans has intersected with athletes and officials have had to make
pleas for silence.
As you watch and listen, you hear shouts
and read signs:
“Well done!”
“Keep it up!”
“Great running!” And…
“Keep your cadence quick! Use your arms to
pump you up the hill!”
Or practical,
geographical guidance: “Keep going, only one more hill to go, then you’re on
the home straight!”
As I watched some of the events, I
was reminded of the verse out of Hebrew 12:1
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by
so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin
which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us…”
A crowd can make all the difference in
the world!
In the famous movie, “Chariots of
Fire”, one of the film’s most iconic scenes involved runner Eric Liddell. One
of the reasons Liddell himself is so famous is when he refused to compete in
the Olympics 100-meter heat because it took place on a Sunday. As a devout
Christian, Liddell steadfastly refused to run any race taking place on the
Sabbath. In the film, this decision is made on Liddell’s journey to Paris from
Britain. However, in real life Liddell was well aware of when the race took
place several months in advance and planned appropriately, mainly training
instead for the 400-meter race.
Liddell was harassed for months
about his decision and was even reportedly “grilled” by the British Olympic
Committee, particularly because the 100 meter was his best event and his best
time in the 400 meter (49.6 seconds) had little chance of winning anything in
the Olympics. Despite this, he didn’t back down on the issue.
Long story short, when the 400-meter
final rolled around, Liddell defied the odds and won the event with a world
record performance (47.6 seconds). A performance usually attributed to the fact
that Liddell treated the race as a dead sprint, running all 400 meters as fast
as he possibly could. To quote the man himself when asked about his plan for
victory: “I run the first 200m as hard as I can. Then, for the second
200m, with God’s help, I run harder.”
There is a role the crowd plays,
for sure! We’ve been considering the
words of James, “Consider it joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of
various kinds…” James 1:2 If you find
yourself in a trial, you sound normal.
It’s a standard part of living in our world. Listen to some encouraging words of the
former Olympian, who went on to become a missionary in China:
“In the dust of defeat
as well as the laurels of victory there is a glory to be found if one has done
his best.” - Eric Liddell
“God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His
pleasure. ” - Eric Liddell
Listen to another
runner, who ran an amazing race and finished well, but not without times of
intense testing. “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of
all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself
restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10
Run well! The crowd of heaven is watching and cheering
for you! I can’t wait to see you this Sunday as we continue to look at the
words of James.
Loving You and Him,
Pastor D
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