I am a sports fan, and the big news for me most recently is that the New Orleans Saints opened training camp on July 28th, about ten days ago, and they’re first pre-season game is only a mere thirteen days away. Not only that, but I know the local high schools are gearing up for the new season, and they’ll kick off in a big way the last weekend of August with jamborees. Let’s not forget the local college scene, either. ULM proudly opened its new field house this past week in preparation for the college football season, and we’ll all be in front of our TV’s as LSU travels to Wisconsin to face the Badgers at Lambeau Field on August 27th. Unfortunately, we LA Tech Bulldog fans will have to wait until September 3rd to kick-off their season.
The fall is a great time of the year if you’re a sports fan. Not only is college and professional football kicking off, but Major League Baseball is coming to the end of its season. The Texas Rangers (my team) currently hold a six game lead over the Houston Astros in their division, by the way, and NASCAR is getting down to the “Chase for the Cup”—their playoff system. NASCAR, football and baseball, all happening at the same time—I tell you, it doesn’t get much better than that. Of course, some would argue that NASCAR isn’t really a sport…like ice curling…is that really a sport? Vernon Davis, the WR for the San Francisco 49’ers is the national spokesperson for ice curling. I don’t get the point of ice curling. Is there a point to ice curling? Some people say auto racing isn’t a sport, either. I believe it is, though. Well, maybe not drag racing. I mean, seriously, anybody can drive straight for a quarter of mile, but it takes a real athlete to turn left for 500 miles.
It’s okay to be a sports fan because sports is in the Bible. Yeah, baseball is right there in the opening words of Scripture. It says, “In the big-inning” in Genesis 1:1. Seriously, though sports images are used throughout the New Testament, primarily by the Apostle Paul who invokes images of wrestling and boxing, as well as running. The Apostle Paul also talks about winning the crown of righteousness, but the crown he refers to was specifically the crown a competitor won in a competition. So, sports images fill the pages of the Bible. Ours isn’t the first generation or culture to be caught up in the whole competitive sports thing.
One of those passages that evoke a sports image is the one we read in Hebrews 12 today. There, the writer speaks about running the race that God has set before us, and of course, the writer is referring to the race of life. The Olympics began on Friday, and we know that running is part and parcel of most of the events highlighted in track and field. Most of those events are not endurance events, but rather speed events…sprints. There is event on tap that is focused on endurance, and it is the marathon that comes to my mind as the writer speaks of running with endurance the race that is before us. That’s his way of saying life is a marathon.
We, too often, treat life like it is a sprint. We sprint to work, sprint back home, sprint with our children to some sports practice or event, race around to our church activities, our recreational activities…always running, but never seeming to get anywhere. Actor Steve McQueen once said, “Racing is life,” but I’m not sure he didn’t have it backwards—life is racing. We make fun of the NASCAR guys and gals simply going around in circles, but doesn’t life feel just like that for us at times?
Life is a marathon, meant to be run with endurance. Marathons are typically road races. It would get awfully boring for a marathoner to run 26.2 miles around and around in the same circle. But, a road race is filled with hills and valleys, twists and turns, beautiful scenery, and yes, sometimes, an occasional blow-out. How do we make it to the end of the race? I see three pieces of advice the author to the Hebrews offers in running the race of life: teamwork, preparation and focus.
The author begins the passage by referencing the “huge crowd of witnesses,” as though we are surrounded by on-lookers. Obviously, the author is referring to the number of saints whom he has just recounted in Hebrews 11. Were we to read back in chapter 11, we would discover God’s Hall of Fame, those faithful people who trusted God, who ran the race of life and finished their course well, even if they didn’t see the ultimate fruit of their faith. He referenced Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rahab, Gideon and David…a pretty extensive list of the all-stars of God’s story. That was the crowd of witnesses he was talking about. There is a sense in which they sit in the stands of eternity watching as a crowd at a sporting event, but the writer seeks to communicate much more than that image. They are witnesses in the sense that they have run the race, too, and God has committed the witness to them, and their lives bear witness to God’s faithfulness. They aren’t in the stands watching! They’re on the side-lines as teammates because their lives still give witness to God’s faithfulness.
Part of our problem is we see a race as something we run in competition with someone. We’ve got to beat the other guy, and we’ve got to win the race. That’s not an image the writer ever intended. No, we’re surrounded by teammates. Those who have finished the race and those who are still running. The writer says “we are surrounded,” and “let us strip off,” and “let us run,” and “keeping OUR eyes on Jesus Christ.” The passage is filled with plural pronouns. What does an athlete receive from teammates? Energy, enthusiasm, excitement and encouragement. All those elements keep us running. They are the motivation for moving forward. That’s why the church is so important.
Geese give us an example to follow. It won’t be long now before we see them overhead winging their way to a warmer climate. Ever wondered why they fly as they do? Four things come to mind. First, those in front rotate their leadership. When one lead goose gets tired, it changes places with one in the wing of the V-formation and another flies point. Second, by flying as they do, the members of the flock create an upward air current for one another. Each flap of the wings literally creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. One author states that by flying in a V-formation, the whole flock gets 71 percent greater flying range than if each goose flew on its own. Third, when one goose gets sick or wounded, two fall out of formation with it and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with the struggler until it’s able to fly again, and fourth, the geese in the rear of the formation are the ones who do the honking. I suppose it’s their way of announcing that they’re following and that all is well. For sure, the repeated honks encourage those in front to stay at it. One lesson stands out above all others: it is the natural instinct of geese to work together. Whether it’s rotating, flapping, helping, or simply honking, the flock is in it together...which enables them to accomplish what they set out to do. Teamwork is essential for winning the race of life.
Preparation is also essential to a well-run race. Let’s face it: no one wakes up one day and decides to go run a marathon. A runner builds up to a marathon by going through an intentional training regimen. We’ll never make it to the end of a marathon without the proper training…well, we might, but the ending will not be good. We’ll be like Phillipedes who legend has it ran from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over the Persians in the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. He ran the 25 miles and collapsed and died after announcing the victory. We’ll literally kill ourselves trying to run a marathon when we’ve only prepared to run a sprint.
What is our preparation? The writer says to strip off every weight, especially the sin that so easily ensnares us. In so doing, he uses a word that indicates removing clothing that binds a person. Like a runner removes his or her warm-up suit before running, we remove sin that binds us. Here’s what I want us to note: a warm-up suit is not necessarily a bad thing…actually, it’s a good thing…prior to the race. The type of weight the author is talking about in not necessarily bad or evil, but is anything that diverts our attention from the task at hand. Sin will always divert our attention from the main thing. Sin can consume us, overwhelm us and eventually overtake us. Sin will destroy our lives, our careers and our families. We must deal with those sins that keep us from running the race well. But how? Lay them at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. Trust Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, and believe that he died, not only to overcome the penalty of those sins, but also the power of them over our lives. That’s where our preparation begins.
Finally, running the race of life requires focus. The writer says we run with endurance by “keeping our eyes on Jesus,” and then he says, “on whom our faith depends from start to finish.” Jesus becomes our example and motivation for running the race of life. Focus is really about priorities. Whatever we make our priority will demand our attention. I remember the story of a head football coach who divorced his wife of 26 years when left the college ranks to accept a head coaching position in the NFL. He said he needed a wife on the college level for social reasons, and to show families that he’d be looking out for their sons. In the NFL, however, a wife was unnecessary and a distraction to winning. He said winning football games was his number one priority, and his family was second.
In contrast, Tom Landry, former coach of the Dallas Cowboys said, “The thrill of knowing Jesus is the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I think God put me in a very special place, and He expects me to us it to His glory in everything I do, whether coaching football or talking to the press, I’m always a Christian. Christ is first, family second and football third.” Now that’s priority.
For some people, it’s all about winning. Dale Earnhardt said second place is simply the first loser. It’s not about winning for the disciple of Jesus. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Running the race is about finishing. To finish is to win, and we begin with the end in sight. We’re running to Jesus. He is our prize. Winning is not making it to heaven. Winning is becoming like Jesus. Winning is to live a Christ-like life. The best part? He’s running the race with us…through the power of His Holy Spirit.
Joe Stowell says the Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. Yes, racing is life, but may we make it to the end by teamwork, preparation and focus. And, by God’s grace, may we reach the end with our torch still lit for him.
