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Competition – race

Run – fall down – stand up

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.
(Hebrews 12, 1-2)

During the boy’s brigade Olympics today, you have all tried hard and battled. All of you have tried their best. One or two of you have been pleased with second place and some of you were simply happy to take part.

I don’t think it is important if you were first, second or last. The important thing is to take part and keep going. The important thing is to make it to the end.

A competition was also a discussed in the New Testament. The path with Jesus was compared to a competition and that is a brilliant comparison. They talk about keeping going, stamina and keeping Jesus in sight as the finishing line.

Stamina

Well, sometimes it does not run as quickly as you thought. Those who are starting on Jesus’ path, start small. Your belief must grow with time similar to a tree. You will need patience and stamina.

Hanging on

It might sometimes, or even quite often, happen that you ask yourself: "what does it all mean"? and you would prefer to give up. You start to stagger, maybe stumble, you become slower.

It might be the case that you have your life under control and think that you can keep running without Jesus.
It might be the case that you are OK and manage a lot but the meaning and goal in your life is somehow missing.
You might realise that you are not quite so perfect and that you annoy or hurt your friends.
You might realise that your life is a façade and that you do not have any clears goals.

In this type of situation, Jesus would like to help you up and give you new drive again. He would like you to look to him and receive new goals from him.

In another passage of the bible, there is a similar comparison. The talk is of falling down and standing up. If you have fallen down in your belief, stand up again. You can only manage to keep going to the end in this way. Experience forgiveness, let yourself be helped up and let yourself be corrected, if you have taken a wrong turn and have lost the way.

Oh, yes. One more thing: It is not important to be first in a competition. Sticking it out till the end is enough.