This morning I was compelled to write my thoughts about a certain Winter Olympic blunder. His name is Sven Kramer and he is Dutch. At this time he is the most dominant distance skater in the world. Kramer had already won Gold in the 5,000 meter and now he was dominating the 10,000 meter. He only had eight laps to go when his coach sent him to the wrong lane. Because of this blunder Kramer was disqualified. If my understanding is correct about skating the 10,000 meter race is 25 laps. So in other words, Kramer raced the first 17 laps with no problem and everyone watching knew that he would win Gold. Unforeseen circumstances were probably not in anyone’s mind. But these “unforeseen” circumstances would eventually strip not only the Gold from his hands but any medal. Will everyone look back at the 2010 Winter Olympics and remember who the faster skater was in the 10,000 meter or will everyone remember who won the Gold? Will there be an asterisk in the history books? I do not know for sure but one thing I do know is that Sven Kramer may know that he is the fastest skater out there but – he is the fastest skater WITHOUT a Gold medal in the 10,000 meter.
Thinking about this story made me think about life in general and how so often in life many men run roughly half the race and then they do something to get them “disqualified from the race.” When I say that I am not meaning that they necessarily “lose their salvation.” Only the Lord knows whether that would happen or not in some of these situations. But I do know this: when we get half way through a race and make major life decisions that affect our entire family and the rest of our lives there is a sort of “disqualification” that happens. The prize of joy that God gives us when we are on our deathbeds and we can reflect on our lives and have joy is stripped away when we have our “midlife crises.” I recall an author named Steve Farrar talking about the fact that we needed to “finish strong.” My hope and my prayer is that I will do just that…that I will be aware of those “unforeseen” circumstances that can hinder me from experienceing the joy of finishing strong. I/you/we need to choose to be aware of God’s expectations for our lives so that we will finish the race and not be disqualified. And how can we know what God’s expectations are for the race when we spend hardly any time with Him? We need to run in such a way as to get the prize. Will you join me?
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. – 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27
