This past Sunday I taught Sunday School. The lesson was about Hannah, the mother of the prophet, Samuel. I wanted the children to grasp how someone might want something so much that they are overcome with emotion. It being the Olympics, I started by asking: “Has anyone noticed anyone crying after one of the competitions?” They were all very perceptive and gave GREAT answers. One boy said, “Some were crying because they had trained for four years for this big race and after all that they didn’t win a medal.” Eliza said, “Some were crying because they were so so happy and excited to have done well and make their family and country proud of them.” Another mentioned that some cried because they got hurt and couldn’t finish the competition.
The Olympics I remember watching as a child was the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. If Facebook had been around then, everyone would have been sharing the video of Derek Redman’s race.
He’d got the fastest time in his Quarter Finals and was all set to win the Semi Finals. However, with 250 metres to go, Derek tore his hamstring. He crumpled to the ground in pain. But he got up on his feet.
He stumbled and hobbled for a few metres, his face was awash with pain and emotion. After all that training and dedication … he might not even finish …
But then all of a sudden on camera comes another man. A spectator from the stands rushed past security and ran alongside Derek Redmond and placed Derek’s arm over his own shoulders and half carried Derek the last 250 metres. As stretcher bearers and race officials rushed up to the two men, Derek’s DAD, Jim Redmond, gave them a look that all understood to say, “MY SON WILL FINISH THE RACE!”
We are each running a race in this life. Some of you here are God’s children, gloriously saved from a life of being against God having turned, repented and embraced as his daughters all made possible because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. You are now running the race that God has set before you. Unlike Derek Redmond’s sprint race, this is an endurance race. The writer of Hebrews urges us to look to Jesus, who has already WON the race. Who has endured ALL to rescue us and claim us as children, daughters of God. And by HIS power, YOU WILL FINISH THE RACE!
Tonight I want to encourage you by reminding you that
Jesus endured extreme suffering and persevered to claim victory. God guides us and coaches us through hardship so that we can endure in our faith. Our final victory is a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
This is the introduction to my talk on Hebrews 12 given at Women’s Winter Festival in 2016. You can listen to the whole talk here.