Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorrruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep my body under subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (1 Corinthians 9:24 - 27).
" + "The ATP, that is, the Association of Tennis Professionals, recognizes four tournaments in the calendar year as the "grandest" tournaments of the year: the Grand Slams. Roger Federer's performance and victory at one of the Slams, the French Open, while we neither endorse him or the tournament, are both powerful and instructive.
" + "In a field of over 100 tennis players, only one man or woman is able to achieve the coveted place of Gentlemen's or Ladies' Singles Champion. Each tennis player wants the title, but only one receives the prize. Such was the case at the French Open. Roger Federer was one player among many. Surprisingly, for Federer, who has routinely reached the finals of Grand Slams for the last several years, the road to the French Open final (the only Grand Slam title to elude him) was especially difficult this year. He faced elimination on several occasions.
" + "In describing Federer's eventful path to victory at the French Open, one journalist observed that Roger Federer's challenges along the way caused him to remember that he was Roger Federer. That is, the minor setbacks he encountered on the path to ultimate victory caused him to remember his name. Each setback caused Federer to dig down deep and reexamine himself - all his training, preparation, and discipline - and his focus. More importantly, each setback caused Federer to see himself within the context of the broader match so that he could make the necessary on-court improvements to prevent elimination, which enabled his eventual triumph.
" + "But thanks be to God that we strive not for the French Open title, a corruptible crown. We press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14), an incorruptible crown. Though our Christian journey, like Federer's trek to the French Open title, is fraught with minor setbacks and near eliminations, Paul reminds us that we are not "beating the air" as we journey. That is, inasmuch as Roger Federer or any tennis player can discipline and train for a given tournament, only one person can win it. Simply put, in this context (among others) all the discipline and training in the world does not assure ultimate victory. Not so, with us!
" + "God, our Father, through the Word by His Spirit engrafts us into the body of Jesus Christ, such that we, who are many, become one in Jesus Christ. This is what we must remember when the game of life places setbacks in our paths. We must remember the Name by which we must be saved and through which God gives us the victory. Through discipline and temperance, we conform ourselves to the image of the Son of God. This allows us to discern, like Federer, in the minor setbacks and near eliminations opportunities for growth, namely, opportunities to find mercy and obtain grace unto deliverance. Hereby, we begin to see our defeats and setbacks and losses as victories, which enable us to walk in Victory.
" + "No matter the setback or the myriad ways situations tempt us to feel discouraged or ashamed, we are more than conquerors! For God, who works everything out for our good, is well able to use setbacks and moments of near elimination to wake us up and press us closer to the Prize. In this way, even when we lose we win! When we deny ourselves and subject our flesh, we gain the opportunity to step outside ourselves and step into the body of Christ. In so doing, we step out of the uncertainty of self and into the certainty that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Hereby, we embrace a Victory already won. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all!
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