Did you watch any of the Winter Olympics from Italy? If you did, were you struck by the commitment and dedication that the athletes put into their sport? It is amazing how devoted they are to achieving the best they can be in their particular event. The time given and the sacrifices made to achieve their goals is impressive. The intense joy experienced in success is also there for all to see.
Matt Weston became the first British athlete to win two medals at the same Winter Olympics, and you may have seen the BBC interview with him after he won his first gold in the Skeleton. It went like this:
Interviewer: “That is Great Britain’s first medal at these games. The nation has waited a week, but you have waited a lifetime for that. You’re the Olympic champion what does it mean?”
Matt Weston “Everything… I’ve worked so hard for this, but everyone back at home like my fiancé, my family, my friends, everyone that sacrificed for me to be here. I’ve missed funerals, birthdays, everything for this moment and it feels amazing.”
On Sunday at St Mary’s, we are continuing our series in the letter to the Philippians and in this week’s passage we find Paul saying, ‘I press on towards the goal for the prize’.
The prize that Paul is aiming for is to share in what he calls ‘the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus’. He wants to win the prize of sharing in the power of Christ’s resurrection.
Paul refers to athletes elsewhere to make a similar point:
‘Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable garland, but we an imperishable one.’ 1 Corinthians 9.24-25
‘Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.’ 1 Timothy 4.7-8
It is very impressive that people show such devotion and are willing to be so disciplined and to make personal sacrifices to achieve sporting success and glory.
If the joy of winning an Olympic prize is worth such a cost, how much more ‘the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus’ and the eternal prize of ‘the heavenly call of God’.
With best wishes,
Stephen