The Competition

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. *Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12: 2

The outcome-focused for competitions is striving to win, defeat opponents, and achieve superiority. The success or failure of the event is judged by the final outcome. Paul uses the metaphor of athletes to explain that they cannot be crowned victorious unless there is competition "according to the set rules" that is what 2 Timothy 2:5 reminds us: “And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the set rules.  

Paul further reminds us to keep away from worldly rivalry and comparison out of envy to enable us to have spiritual discipline, perseverance in running life's race. He says in Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”  Generally, competition naturally increases exercise intensity, focus, and adherence to training as compared to casual practice. In character development athletes learn critical life skills such as discipline, sportsmanship, and how to handle disappointment and conflict. But the amazing thing as believers is that as soon as we say “yes” to Jesus we are immediately enrolled in the race regardless of our fitness.   

Currently, in soccer, there are forty-eight teams completing in the world cup.  But only one will be crowned winner at the end. The focus will be on who is making the best progress. They have been practising regularly in preparation for this time for a long time to get where they are.  Paul reminds us that we will be disqualified if we don’t follow God’s directions from His Word. The good part is that He gives us chances and is not afraid of our questions and failures as long as we turn back to Him. When we fail or are in doubt, He is readily available at all times to pardon us and give us another chance.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 reminds us that (a) “The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong…. This points out that even if you are not the smartest, strongest, most knowledgeable or best looking in the natural, God can still give you good success when you depend on His grace. So being diligent is key. God is not afraid of our questions.

Pray your response to the Lord personally, meaningfully and genuinely.

Reflect:

How does Christ's anticipation of redeeming humanity motivate my own life and obedience to God?

The question is how can I draw strength from Jesus' example when facing my own trials and hardships? What weights or distractions in my life do I need to set aside to keep my focus clearly on the Lord?