Faith & Insight: Race to the finish

I was surprised recently to read the poll taken by the Appeal regarding the number of people planning to watch the Olympics. Less than 30 percent planned to take in the televised events.

Watching the Olympics has always been special in our family, yet none of us are athletes. I remember during the Cold War watching the contention of medals between the U.S. and the Soviets and encouraging the red, white, and blue from afar.

I still have vivid memories of watching the ski jumping events from Squaw Valley in 1960 on a small black and white television. I was hooked!

There's just something about watching the human body and spirit push itself. You see trained people at their best, endeavoring their hardest to accomplish the extreme. Marvelous human interest stories always come out of these events, as we see individuals from all walks and hardships try their hardest to do their best.

I am convinced that the writer of Hebrews had all of this in mind as he wrote chapters 11 and 12 of his epistle. He speaks of a whole stadium of witnesses like Noah and Abraham, Moses and David watching us as we approach the start of the event.

We are encouraged to lay aside everything that would hinder us and then to endure the event keeping our eyes on Jesus, who is already victorious and beckoning us from the finish line.

His race was filled with painful persistence. Yet the joy of what was ahead kept Him going all the way to victory. As we consider all that He went through, we are encouraged to "not grow weary and lose heart."

The apostle Paul looks forward to the end of his race as he writes in 2 Timothy 4:7-8.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."

Wow, let's keep running (or skiing)! Care to join the event? Report to a local church for entry.

• Bruce Henderson, Airport Rd. Church of Christ, Carson City.