This week's news
For a great sport story see Christine Ohuruogu's photofinish victory in the 400m at the World Championships.
Her comment ‘Everything is a blessing’, and wanting to be a blessing to everyone who enjoyed the race, is particularly touching. ‘Lucky’ as the newspaper described it, doesn’t do justice to what she expressed as she came from a possible fifth place to win the race by a hairsbreadth as BBC Sport shows us.
Her finish illustrates Hebrews 12.1, running with perseverance, in the final moments of a 50 second race. Of course, this is the kind of race Usain Bolt always runs, as he did in the rain in Moscow.
BBC Sport has an article about the unpredictability of sport, and the fact that this is what makes it exciting.
However, in Hebrews 12, the emphasis is on persevering, even when injured, because all who do so will be rewarded. Ellie Simmonds and all Paralympic athletes provide stunning examples of endurance in difficult circumstances.
The most touching story of ‘keeping faith’ this week is surely the one brought to our attention by Winston Churchill’s great-grandson. The Daily Telegraph has his plea to keep faith with those who acted as interpreters in Afghanistan.
Reflection
The great contrast between sporting competition (as in Hebrews 12.1) where there is one winner, and the great cloud of witnesses, is that all the witnesses are prize winners.
However, the parallel with sporting competition remains apt in that, during the trials that were endured, there was no absolute certainty that faithfulness would be maintained in the face of temptation, persecution, or just weariness. There must have been many times when the cause looked hopeless or the race appeared to be lost.
It is only after the victory of athletes that their stories of the long years of dedicated training are told.
There are also touching stories of the difference it makes when someone believes in a potential athlete. Believing in someone can encourage them to perseverance.
In community, this believing in people is an enormous support. The unarmed Afghan translators had to have enormous faith in the troops for whom they worked, that they would be protected whilst doing their vital work of making the soldiers’ intentions and questions known to the local population. Their bravery and commitment needs to be acknowledged.
The encouragement to ‘lay aside every weight and the sin which clings so closely’ could point us to the way athletes need to be dedicated, leaving aside many trivial enjoyments and pleasures in order to win a great prize. They have lives of dedication, rather than aimlessness.
Prayer
Hebrews 11.29 shows us the value of a ‘litany of the saints’ in reminding us of great examples of faith, dedication and heroism.
For all your saints, O Lord:
we praise your holy name.
For holy Abraham, the first to heed your call:
we praise your holy name.
For holy Moses, who left the luxury of a price’s life in Egypt to lead your people out of slavery:
we praise your holy name.
For holy Gideon, who turned Israel back to the God of Abraham and Moses:
we praise your holy name.
For holy David, called from leading a flock of sheep, to leading your people:
we praise your holy name.
For holy Samuel, who heard your voice when he was just a child:
we praise your holy name.
For holy Isaiah, who responded to your call in the Temple:
we praise your holy name.
For holy Jeremiah, faithful to your call for 40 years:
we praise your holy name.
For holy Judas Maccabaeus, who refused to bow to idols:
we praise your holy name.
For holy John the Baptist, first to recognise the Saviour:
we praise your holy name.
For Christ our Lord, sharing our life:
we praise your holy name.
For Christ our Lord, triumphant over death:
we praise your holy name.
For Christ our Lord, who will come again in glory:
we praise your holy name.
Amen.
Questions
- Who do you know, in church, in work, in the community, whom you find to be a great inspiration?
- Whose life has been a great example?
Action
Having seen the inspiration others provide, what could you do to make a difference?
Young People
What are your ambitions? Will they require dedication and effort? Will they require sacrifices? What kind of thing holds you back from your ambitions (Hebrews 12.1)?
Tom Ambrose reads the papers in Cambridge.
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