[Gary Petty] We’re in the time of the year where sports is everything. I mean, we just went through the World Series, we have football going, we have basketball going, we have all the college sports, hockey’s starting up – and everybody’s thinking about sports. But you know, with all the sports and all – how fast our lives are, think about how many times that we sort of ignore sports and what things are going on until the playoffs. I have to admit, the baseball season – I used to be interested in. Anymore? Nah. I don’t even watch a game till the World Series starts, and then I see who’s in it and watch a little bit of the games.

You know, we are a sports-inundated society, and we like watching sports and we like following players and teams and so forth. But it’s interesting that in the Bible, the apostle Paul, who lived in the world of the Olympics, back in the time of ancient Rome – he talked about sports and Christianity. He compared it to running a long race. You know, the longest race that’s in the Olympics is the marathon. It goes from ancient Greece, where that word comes from. Of course we know what the origins of “marathon” is. But he compared Christianity to running a race. Not a short race – a long race. Christianity isn’t about showing up in the playoffs and then becoming interested. It’s about the long run. Christianity is a lifetime experience, and it’s not a spectator sport. It’s about running the race.

Paul was trying to inspire people with his comments – comments to stick with it. Endurance, commitment – these are just words. They have to be more than words. When you get discouraged about Christianity and the world that you live in and trying to obey God and stay focused, remember – you’re not in it for the short-term. Remember that sometimes along the way, you may stumble, you may fall, you may struggle. But you’re in it for the long run, for the complete race. And God promises to help you get there.

That’s BT Daily. Join us next time.