In the ancient Roman Empire, athletics were also a part of the culture. People have always organized their lives around games. Maybe the biblical writers chose to use athletic imagery because people would be able to connect it easily. They speak of our spirituality as a race to be run with a finish line ahead of us.
Our church building is full of stained glass windows. It was built in 1871, and this was very much a part of how churches were constructed in that time. One of our stained glass windows has a wreath with the Greek word Nika (see picture above). This Greek word means “victory” or “to conquer” and is used 28 times in the New Testament. The wreath was also a symbol of victory in ancient times. It was the trophy given to the winner of a race.
This Sunday I’m preaching from Philippians 3. Our second reading is Hebrews 12:1-3. In both of these passages, athletic imagery is used to describe our spirituality. It is likened to a race. For Paul in Philippians he envisions himself in the middle of the race. He’s not yet at the finish line, yet he’s looking forward to all that God is going to accomplish. He’s doing all that he can to persevere through suffering and hardship. The writer of Hebrews speaks of being surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, throwing off everything that hinders us or slows us down. Focusing on Jesus and trusting His path for us is our responsibility. While we may be tempted to slow down or quit the race, Jesus’ example helps us move forward. Paul puts it this way,
(Philippians 3:13-14 NIV) Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 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.
In just over a month, as we move into fall, our attention turns to football. Like running a race, the games can be grueling. The intensity demands our time and attention. And as we think about the dynamics of sporting events, let’s consider our spiritual race. Are we persevering through difficulty? Are we tempted to give up when we are down? And as we look up on Sunday mornings and see the wreath on the south side of our church building, might we be challenged to give the same level of attention and intensity to our spiritual walks? May we keep our eyes on Jesus as we move together toward the finish line.
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