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Going For God’s Gold
4 WAYS CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE ATHLETES
Every two years
something exciting happens and people all over the world tune in to see who
will win and bring home a gold medal.
If you don't know,
it is the Olympics.
It is a big
worldwide athletic event that people compete in to see who is the best.
Do you watch the
Olympics where you live? My favorite is the ice skating competition.
While watching the
opening ceremonies, I began to think about how much hard work and dedication it
takes for a person to make it to this worldwide event.
As Christians, I
believe our gold medal moment will be hearing these words when we finally see
Christ face to face, "Well done my
good and faithful servant!"
I think there are a
few things we can learn from athletes about going for the gold with our faith
though.
1. We have to take action
Practice, practice
practice- it is essential whenever you want to accomplish a great fete.
You can't just
decide you are going to compete in the Olympics and then sit around on your
couch watching the event of your choice and hoping you will somehow absorb the
talent.
You have to get out
there and practice yourself!
In this same way, we can't just listen to people speak about their faith and absorb it.
In this same way, we can't just listen to people speak about their faith and absorb it.
We have to put our
faith into practice!
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving yourselves." James 1:22
"For it is not the hearers of the law who are
righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." Romans
2:13
2.
We need to be dedicated and willing to make sacrifices
A person who wants
to achieve a gold medal has to be dedicated and willing to make sacrifices for
their goal.
They cannot go out
and practice for a few months, then take a few months off, then practice a few
more days before the big event and think that they will be ready.
They need to be
dedicated and determined.
The same goes for
us as Christians we need to be fully-dedicated to Jesus Christ.
God does not want
lukewarm followers who are only interested in living for him part-time.
If we believe God's
Word to be true then he deserves our best effort in all parts of our lives.
Christ deserves our all because he is our all in all!
"I know your works: you are neither cold nor
hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!
So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:15-16
So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:15-16
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost
its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for
anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."
Matthew 5:13
Matthew 5:13
"From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.
My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the
same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear
olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh
water." James 3:10-12
3. We need support from others
If you have ever
watched the Olympics, you will notice that people often hold up signs
encouraging and cheering on the athlete of their choice.
Whether you are a
baby Christian or a more mature one, we all need the love and support of fellow
Christians in our lives.
We are not meant to
do this life alone, and God places people in our paths to help us and that we
can help too.
"Therefore
encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." 1
Thessalonians 5:11
"And
we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the
weak, be patient with them all. 1
Thessalonians 5:14
"Two
are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when
he falls and has not another to lift him up!" Ecclesiastes
4:9-10
4. We must keep our eyes on the
prize
The coveted prize
at the Olympics is a gold medal, but our prize is worth far more than gold!
In this life, it
can be easy to become discouraged and see the world as nothing more than a
terrible place.
We must remember
that God knows all of our troubles and wants nothing more than to take ALL of
our burdens upon Himself.
We must keep our
eyes on the prize that we will receive when we take our final breath on this
earth and take our place in our real home-Heaven!
"Take
my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light.” Matthew
11:29-30
"But
love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your
reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the
ungrateful and the evil." Luke
6:35
"And
let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do
not give up." Galatians
6:9
".
. . knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.
You are serving the Lord Christ." Colossians
3:24
"But
our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body,
by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself." Philippians
3:20-21
"Therefore, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every
weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us," Hebrews
12:1
Are you ready to
live your life fully for Christ and achieve the prize that is worth far more
than a gold medal or all the gold in the world for that matter?
I hope that I have
encouraged you and these simple, but important goals are something that you will
consider and learn more about by reading God's love letter to us!
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