Finish Line

Nº 314

August 6, 2024

The best athletes in the world have run, jumped, tumbled, swum, cycled, wrestled, shot, and dove their way to Paris to compete in the Olympic Games. Table tennis, archery, volleyball, and shot putting are great; I love it all, but track is my favorite.

Maybe because I was always a slow runner – my coaches joked that they could time me with a calendar – or that I grew up in Oregon watching Steve Prefontaine, but I’ve always admired great runners.

The best athletes run with strategy and discipline. They start with skill, stay on pace, conserve energy, and then sprint to the end. In that last dash, they fix their attention on the finish line, and nothing else.

Paul used the imagery of track when he told the Philippians, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenly in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

The prize is found in the preceding verses: “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection.” (Philippians 3:10) We run the race to gain a greater knowledge of and deeper relationship with Jesus. The Christian life is a marathon. Avoid distractions and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries