Winter Games

 Skiers fly through the wind like birds landing lightly on the snow, lugers plunge down the chute at 90 mph in a death-defying dive, skaters slice through the ice and downhill skiers carve moguls on the mountain. The Beijing Olympics stir memories: the magnificence of the mountains, the silence of the snow, the rush of the wind.

 In the classic words from Wide World of Sports, it is “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”  When Eileen Gu won the gold in women’s big air competition, she rushed to console Tess Ledeaux, who finished in second place.

 In 1988 Eddie the Eagle entered the ski jump competition as the sole competitor from Great Britain.  Near sighted and overweight for a skier, Eddie finished last, but set a UK record,  He inspired the world with his heart for competition against all odds.

 In the Vancouver Olympics twelve years ago it was the tragic story of Nodar Kumaritashvili’s fatal crash on the luge the day before opening ceremonies or Lindsey Vonn’s struggle to overcome a bruised leg and win gold in the downhill.

 The Winter games remind us of Dan Jansen skating for gold moments after his sister died only to crash into the wall on the final turn.  Who can forget the image of Jansen sitting forlorn on the ice? Four years later he returned to capture the top medal and carried his two-year-old son on a victory lap in memory of his sister.

 Two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul used Olympic metaphors to help us understand faith.   He wrote, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

 The race is different for each of us.  Our challenges are unique.  But we all have a race to run, a challenge to face.  No one has the luxury of sitting on the sidelines as a spectator. Faith requires discipline, determination, perseverance and sacrifice.  The good news is that we don’t have to face our challenges alone.  We have One who has run the race and shown us the way.  We have One who enters the race alongside us, pacing us and spurring us on to the finish. 

 The author of Hebrews writes, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked 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 opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  (Hebrews 12:1-3).