Bowling Green Covenant Church

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the
upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
-Philippians 3.14

I am a hockey fan. This explains why this past Wednesday I
rose at 5:45 a.m. to watch Team Sweden play Team Kazakhstan
in Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey. It was a first round game, but
it was hockey. More than that-it was Olympic Hockey. It was
men playing a children’s game for love of the game and love
of country. It was patriotism on ice; chauvinism with sticks
and pucks replacing rifles and bullets. It was competition
all aimed at one goal-to receive the upward call of an
Olympic champion.

Kazakhstan does not have a good team. In an era where
professional athletes compete in a once “amateur”
tournament, Team K. has just one bona fide pro player. In
contrast, Team Sweden is laden with pros from the National
Hockey League-and All-Stars at that. The game was no
contest. The Kazakhstanis played valiantly, but despite
their courage Sweden won handily. Yesterday Team K. lost to
the United States. Another loss and they are done. But
regardless of where they finish they will play all five
games of the preliminary round. Defeat may discourage and
disappoint, but when you are playing for your country you
lace up your skates, take to the ice, and try your best to
win-to receive that upward call of an Olympic champion.

There are times when life feels as if we are on Team
Kazakhstan. Everyone else is more talented, more skilled,
better looking, better organized, and you know, just plain
together. And there we are -frazzled by frustration and
bedraggled by discouragement. The easy thing is to give up.
The hard thing is to keep trying-to keep skating even when
you are overmatched by life.

Paul the apostle did not play ice hockey. However, he knew
what it was to be frazzled by frustration and bedraggled by
discouragement. He knew despair. But he also knew hope. He
knew disappointment. But he also knew joy. He knew poverty.
But he also knew abundance. He knew sickness. But he also
knew health. He knew anxiety. But he also knew the peace of
God that passes all understanding. He knew the temptation to
give up. But he also knew the energizing power of the upward
call of God in Christ Jesus. It is the Olympic call to rise
above our circumstances-not by force of will, or strength of
inner courage, but by obedience to the call of God.

Compared to the Roman Empire the early church was Team
Kazakhstan. It was overmatched ten times ten thousand. But
where is Rome today? The Church will triumph but not because
we are strong. The Church will triumph because God is strong
and we are obedient to His Call. He has called us to press
on despite being overmatched. We have received and will
receive something of far more lasting value than a
perishable wreath, or even an Olympic Gold Medal. Ours is
the cross before the crown. Ours is a name despised before
receiving Name from the One who is above all names who has
named us from the foundation of the world.

The call has gone out. Let us press on until that day when
we shall ultimately receive the prize for which God has
called us upward in Christ Jesus.

You think about that.

MM