2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” vs. 7

It’s not uncommon for followers of Jesus to mine the world of sports for metaphors describing their experiences on the Way. We might use images from football or golf but early believers looked to the olympic sports of ancient Greece. In this familiar verse from 2 Timothy we see a reference to both boxing and running, implying that life can be like a fierce struggle or a marathon, or maybe even both at once. Such imagery explains those times when it feels like we’ve been hit in the pit of the stomach as we slog along on our often meandering journeys. Notice that not one word is said about winning! It’s all about finishing! That’s good news, especially when we move into what feels like the last stages of the race. Even though we’ve been trained by our culture to think competitively, the journey of faith is not about winning or losing. We don’t have to beat up on other people or get to the finish line first, or even win an election! Our laurel wreaths don’t come from the size of our fortunes or the number of souls we’ve saved. The key word is faith, not that we subscribe to some particular doctrine, but that we continue to trust God as we deal with our obstacles and challenges. With such faith as our daily companion we have hope and confidence that in our finishing we will face an even better beginning.

Thought for the Day: What athletic metaphor best describes my life?