“Knowing Christ is the best thing that has ever happened to me, although winning the US Open was a pretty good second.”
A marathon, not a sprint!
A marathon, not a sprint! (2 Timothy 1:1-7, 4:1-8)If you write a letter to someone you usually have a reason. So that was Paul’s reason for writing to Timothy? It will help us if we understand that.
The best answer is probably in 2Timothy 4:5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Timothy has started well in the Christian life (1:5), but to finish well is far more important! Now that is something that we all understand. There is no point in scoring in the first minute, if the opposition then score four! There is no point in leading the race to the last lap and then dropping out. Paul wants Timothy to understand that starting well is great but that finishing well is even more important.
As you represent Christ in your part of the world of sport, Paul advice is still very relevant. As the Message puts it
• Keep your eye on what you are doing;
• Accept the hard times along with the good;
• Keep the message alive;
• Do a thorough job as God’s servant.
Are you Paul or Timothy? If you are a young Christian, this may be just the message of encouragement that you need – to help you to keep going, to encourage you when it is hard to stand for Jesus in the sports club. If you an older “Paul” then as well as doing a good job as God’s servant, you are to encourage a younger “Timothy” to see the Christian life as a marathon not a sprint band to keep going.
Is there a “Timothy” in your club or your sport whom you could encourage?