Christian life – a marathon, not a sprint
by Pastor Joshua Pfeiffer
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By your endurance you will gain your souls (Luke 21:19).
Many of you would recognise the name Usain Bolt. He is the only person to have won the 100-metre and 200-metre gold medals at three consecutive Olympics. I imagine that very few of you, however, would recognise the names of Samuel Kamau Wanjiru, Stephen Kiprotich and Eliud Kipchoge. These were the gold medallists for the Olympic men’s marathon in the same years. Why does the sprint hold such a high status for us? Perhaps it is because we are so often drawn to what is immediate, exciting and dramatic rather than what is long-term, seemingly ordinary and gradual. There is something important to notice here in relation to our Christian life.
In the longer text for today, Jesus speaks to his disciples about the end of the temple and the end of the world. In either case, there is a need for Christians to be spiritually prepared for the great calamities of history and not be led astray by those who would deceive them. He encourages the disciples that he will help them bear witness by his Holy Spirit in the face of betrayal and persecution. Through all this, our Lord says there is a need for his disciples to have endurance. The trials Christians face in this life aren’t to be met by short bursts of spiritual energy but rather by the long-term durability of the ordinary Christian life. Following Christ is more like a marathon than a sprint.
We cannot, of course, endure by our own strength. We look to the one who, for us, ‘endured the cross, despising its shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God’ (Hebrews 12:2). He sends us his Spirit, who works in us an abundance of hope (Romans 15:13), which pulls us forward when we feel like giving up – an experience every marathon runner feels at one time or another. In your struggles through personal spiritual growth, life in the church, vocations in the world, mission and evangelism, remember the big picture of the marathon we are in and hear the call to endurance. By it, you will gain your soul.
Heavenly Father, thank you for protecting and providing for us amid trials and temptations. Encourage us when we are downhearted or afraid, and give us the gift of endurance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Joshua is married to Kimberley. Together they have four children. He is a pastor of the Lutheran Church of Australia and previously served at St Paul’s, Nundah, in Queensland, and Bethlehem, Adelaide, in South Australia. Currently, he is pursuing doctoral studies at Concordia Seminary St Louis, USA, and enjoying the adventure. He posts videos on a YouTube channel called Kairos (www.youtube.com/JoshuaPfeiffer).
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