“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” — 1 Corinthians 9:24
Achieving Goals
In an ad currently running on TV, a car salesman adds one more trophy to the impressive number of awards his company has already won, and the display shelf literally starts to sag in the middle. Cindy Klassen — one of our hometown women here in Winnipeg, Manitoba — could identify, being a six-time Olympic champion and a four-time world champion speed skater.
Despite all her achievements, Cindy is not reticent about linking those to her faith. Whenever I read about her in the media, I think of a sermon I heard based on Ephesians 2:10, which says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The minister likened workmanship to trophies, urging us to put as much effort into Christian service as an athlete does into winning a medal.
Cindy does both.
I confess that the imaginary shelf holding my “trophies” does not sag in the middle from the weight of my accumulated achievements, but “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me Heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). I’m aware that diligence, sacrifice, practice and focus are as much needed for a Christian walk as they are for a dedicated athlete. In Philippians 3:13, the Apostle Paul said “this one thing I do” (KJV), not “these many things I dabble in.”
Achieving any goal in life requires stamina and focus.
— Alma Barkman
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