“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13).

Subtitle: Getting Off the Bench and Into the Game

As I write this, I am still celebrating the UT-Vols men’s win over South Carolina to secure the SEC Title. Now on to the SEC Tournament, then the NCAA Tournament, a/k/a March Madness. I am not a sports fanatic, but I do enjoy the contest between athletes. I played some sports in my early years, but now I mostly participate vicariously through my children and grandchildren. And because of my interest, I also appreciate the many sports analogies in the Bibie. I have included a link to a wonderful Table Talk article about this.

My two sons and their families are active in both individual and team sports. Some of my observations from watching them and from my own experience include the following:

First, you have to get off the bleachers and into the game. I go to the kid’s games—both soccer and basketball as well as their swim meets. There is a vast difference between being on the bleachers as a spectator and being on the field, court, or pool as an active participant.

And once in the game, you have to want the ball. In their first years of basketball at ages 5-6, my grandkids had as much fun (maybe more) sitting with their teammates on the sidelines as on the court. But my high school age granddaughter is amazing on the soccer field, yelling for the ball, and running her route to aggressively go after it. She hates being on the bench. It is like the difference between going to church occasionally and sitting in the back, slipping in, and slipping out, hoping not to be noticed, vs. showing up for every service and signing up to serve in some capacity. In other words, throw me the ball, coach, put me in!

“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 someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to 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).

Second, it is not all about the event itself. Most of the work is done in the preparation. Staying fit, learning the rules of the sport, and practicing so as to be ready when the whistle blows and the competition begins. One of my sons and his family also participate in various levels of triathlon events. They workout, run, swim, and bicycle daily with little exception, pushing themselves constantly; and as a result, they invariably “make the podium” for their events. I know I am bragging, but I am proud of them and the discipline they exhibit. Their example is a picture of what Paul tells us to do in 1 Timothy 4:7a-10:

“…train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

Third, at some pre-determined point, the event will end, and the score will be tallied. The shots after the buzzer do not count. The laps after the finish line do not matter. In our earthly games, we know how many minutes are in the game, we know how many miles we must run to get to the finish line. In life, we do not know when the race is over. Only God knows.

Why am I making such a big deal of this? Because Paul does in these Scriptures. His focus is not on sports themselves, but on the metaphor for our participation in the Christian life. We are using sports metaphors, but the better comparison might be to warfare. In sports, it is a friendly competition, but in war it is life and death. And so it is with us as believers. In sports we have an opponent; in warfare we have the enemy. In sports we should shake hands in the end, no matter who wins; in Christian warfare, there is no shaking hands. First we want to win souls to our side, the winning side. Then we want to vanquish the enemy. This takes the desire to go to battle and the discipline of preparedness.

God has placed us in a mission field with other Christian warriors. We are all on the same team with the same mission. Let us each do our part to diligently prepare ourselves for our mission and to eagerly play our role in this great cosmic battle, serving as a soldier of the cross. It is March; it is March Madness. It is two and one-half weeks until Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter. Very shortly, we will be celebrating the sacrificial death of Christ in atonement for our sins, and His glorious Resurrection with its promise of Eternal Life for all of us. Our charge is to strengthen our own walk and share this wonderful news with everyone God puts in our path. Put me in, coach!!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

In Christ,

Judy