Go for Gold

Olympics fever is upon us. The race has begun as we cheer on our athletes, urging them onward and upward. The excitement is palpable, we want them to win to succeed.

There is a real energy found in competitions, in races. The race metaphor is also used in Scripture, God’s Word. Paul uses the race metaphor in a number of different letters (1 Cor 9:24-27; Gal 2:2 and 5:7; Phil 2:16 and 3:13; 2 Tim 2:5 and 4:7-8) which the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews also echoes (Heb 12:1-3). Next week I want to look at finishing the race, but this week we focus on the beginning of the race.

Dapto Anglican is starting Confirmation classes this Sunday. Both Baptism and Confirmation point to the beginning of our Christian ‘race’. Just like the Olympics there is great excitement and energy as athletes leap from the starting blocks, throwing themselves, all that they have and are, into the air in a powerful dive. Its spectacular to watch and wonderful to be a part of it as we cheer them on. Lets celebrate those seeking out baptism into God’s wonderful family, the church. Let spur on our confirmees as they enter a new stage, taking the baton from those before and carrying it themselves. While a race requires individual effort from the competitor, the Olympics reminds us that an Olympian runs for a group, a nation. Christians run their race of faith in the context of the church, the body of Christ, the Spirit empowered community, which our heavenly Father graciously provides for us all.

Rev. Craig McCorkindale