Going for Gold? Newsletter 10 August

GOING FOR GOLD?
“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 all about it and then missing out myself.”
I Cor.9:24-25
(The Message)

Paul asked believers to give up their own rights, to think of others first, and be whole-hearted in their focus to bring others to Christ. He asked Christians to deny themselves as they looked forward to future rewards. This was compared to a race, picturing the ancient “games.” The Olympics were already operating in Paul’s time. Second in popularity only to the Olympic games, the Isthmian games were celebrated every two years at Corinth. Athletes would come from all over Greece, and the winners of the games were accorded the highest honour. To get into the games, and especially to emerge as victors, required that athletes practice strict self-control. Typically, for ten months prior to the games the athletes in-training denied themselves many ordinary pleasures. Each put forth his greatest effort during the contest, setting aside all else in order to win the prize
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When Paul told the believers to be like those athletes, he didn’t mean that the believers were all running against each other with only one actually winning. Instead, he wanted every believer to run in such a way that they would win. In other words, we should all be putting the same amount of effort for the reward of God’s Kingdom that an athlete puts out to win a medal or wreath. Therefore, we must willingly practice self-control with a focus on bringing others to Christ because we are running towards an eternal prize. We have already “won”; the prize isn’t dependent on how we run the race. Because we are already assured of the prize, we should live for God with as much focus and enthusiasm as did the ancient runners at the games.

We must keep our eyes clearly focussed on the goal, running straight for it with purpose in every step, not allowing ourselves to be sidetracked or becoming lazy. We need to discipline ourselves in our Christian lives in order to stay in shape.

The time between a person’s acceptance of Christ as Saviour and his or her death is the only time when growth in Christ can occur.

Do you want to grow diligently and receive a reward from Christ on his return or be like the person who builds his or her life with shoddy materials, only to be saved “like someone escaping through a wall of flames?”

This week the 2008 Olympics at Beijing in China ended. Great Britain fared really well in the medals table, bringing home 19 gold, 13 silver, 15 bronze. making a total of 47, coming fourth overall. We are so proud of our team’s achievements, and look forward to the 2012 Olympics which will be hosted by London

Like all the athletes who trained hard and hoped to win gold for their country, are we prepared to put in the same effort for Christ who died for each one of us, so that we may live with him in eternity?

Love in Christ,
Penny