26 Miles Can Be a Lifetime

     For 26 miles… The runners facing down driving rain, blowing wind, and generally miserable, weird weather weren’t the only odd story out of the 122nd Boston Marathon.

     Of the 30,087 entrants, 27,362 picked up their bib numbers, 27,042 of them started, and 25,822 completed the course.  That was despite the terrible weather—wind-driven rain and a windchill around freezing.   Post-race figures showed that 2,795 runners were treated throughout the course.  Ninety-one runners were taken to hospitals for further treatment, and 10 remained there as of 9 a.m. Tuesday, the day after the marathon. 

     Even though only the first fifteen finishers are rewarded with prize money, there are also rewards just for finishing, for breaking records, for racing with handicaps, for winning in particular age brackets.  From the fastest to the slowest, anyone who finishes the race is treated with praise, respect, and admiration.

     The Apostle Paul often used the Olympic games held in Roman coliseums as an illustration of his calling and ministry.  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing.”  (II Tim. 4:7,8 NIV).  “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:13,14)

     The writer of Hebrews makes a similar application: “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.”

     Just as Jesus called Peter to a life-time commitment, so we are called to a lifetime of faithful service.  The “judgment seat” referred to in the writings of Paul is a Greek translation of the word “bema”.  This word was taken from Isthmian games where the contestants would compete for the prize under the careful scrutiny of judges.  Paul was picturing the believer as a competitor in a spiritual contest.  As the victorious Grecian athlete appeared before the bema to receive his perishable award, so the Christian will appear before Christ’s Bema to receive his or her imperishable award.

Rev. 22:12: “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”  

Pastor Jim B

  ’47 / ’56 St Charles MN

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA