Endurance Trainingናሙና

THE CHEERING CROWDS

Ironically, the most heartbreaking scenes of runners who do not receive medals at the Comrades marathon happen just meters from the finish line. Each year, these images make the headlines. We see runners push themselves for over 89 grueling kilometers, only to have their knees buckle 20 meters before the end. It is more than I can take to watch! But I can guarantee you this, neither the crowd in the stands nor their fellow runners would think of leaving them there to lose a medal that they earned.

The rules of the Comrades marathon stipulate that runners may support each other, but each contender has to cross the finish line on their own feet. I tear up now as I think of runners stumbling and crawling to the end, held up by equally exhausted comrades and the screams of thousands of supporters. It is by that same support from others that we will receive the medals for our endurance journeys of faith.

In Jesus’ case, it was the cries of sin that urged Him on to complete the race to the cross. “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people..” (Hebrews 12:2-3, NLT). As the world cheered for Jesus to be killed, He had to keep a different set of rules than the Comrades marathon. He had to bear the sins of the world all on his own. No other person on earth could help Him. And no God remained with Him “At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ which means ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’” (Matthew 27:46, NLT). But we know the story did not end there for us.

In Hebrews 12, we read of our heavenly comrades who cheer us on towards our medals. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (v. 1-2, NLT).

Do you feel alone in your endurance journey? Do you believe that the support of others may help you to endure?

Let us encourage each other to remain faithful in our walk with Jesus. Let us grow our endurance by supporting others each day. “For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us” (2 Corinthians 1:6-7, NLT).