Eyes On The Prize

As the Winter Olympics begin today in Italy I'll be keeping an eye on Jeremy Bloom, an athlete from Loveland, Colorado. Jeremy skis moguls and has won numerous competitions around the world in the last few years. In addition to being a world-class skier, Jeremy played for University of Colorado football team as a wide receiver and kick returner. After Jeremy is done competing in the Olympics, he will fly directly to Indianapolis to demonstrate his skills for National Football League scouts who will decide if he has a future in the NFL.

Jeremy's story has been an interesting one to follow because of the training and discipline necessary not simply to be a world-class athlete in one sport, but in two sports. Personally, I'm pulling for Jeremy to win a gold medal at the Olympics and then to fulfill his lifelong dream to play professional football in the NFL.

I'm reminded of how many allusions to athletics there are in the New Testament. This undoubtedly has to do with Christianity growing up in the same region of the world where the Olympics were born. Notice, for example, this passage in Hebrews 12:1,2. "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..."

To be a successful athlete requires remarkable amounts of time spent in training that most people rarely see. It also requires tremendous discipline and perseverance to perfect the skills that hopefully, will one day enable them to experience the pinnacle of athletic success. For some like Jeremy Bloom, it may be the pursuit of a medal. For others such as Jerome Bettis, runnig back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it is the Lombardi trophy awarded to the winners of the Super Bowl. What enables those athletes to persevere on those days when training is just so much drudgery and pain is the realization that a prize awaits them if they persevere.

Let's go back and consider Hebrews 12:1,2. The writer of Hebrews tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus. Why? First, because He is the perfect example of someone who patiently endured hardship and demonstrated what perseverance is truly all about. But I also believe that we need to fix our eyes on Jesus because He isn't only our example, He's also the "prize" to be received for persevering.

One day this race called life will be completed. If we have persevered because we kept our eyes fixed on Jesus, we will get to spend all eternity with the One who ran the race before us, and by His example showed us how to endure in spite of all obstacles.

I don't know what obstacles and challenges you face in your life today. But may I encourage you to patiently endure and persevere in spite of what may come your way. Remember--keep your eyes on the prize!