Jenson Button wins in Monaco 2009
This week I had the privilege of addressing our town council. My slot came directly after a presentation to a number of high school students who were being awarded for a variety of achievements.
Having planned to speak on the title of this post I quickly adjusted my introduction.
I recently watched Jenson Button running through the streets of Monaco, celebrating another GP victory. I also witnessed the historic French Open win for Roger Federer. As we get older success becomes harder to measure, I have noticed that people stopped giving me certificates some years ago.
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.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9 v 24-25
The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that Jesus also had a measure of success which lead him all the way to the cross.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12 v 2
So what is this that Paul is encouraging us to strain for and that motivated Jesus?
It is the joy of doing God’s will. This demonstrated most completely by Jesus in the sacrificial service of others.
This then is success.
When motivated by these things I am freed; from the need to please others, from the tyranny of the urgent, from a worldly desire to be noticed or to dominate my peers.