I am writing this the day after the final of the UEFA European Football Championships, when England was defeated by Spain, 2:1. I have to confess I didn’t watch it, but I understand that it was a good match, albeit tense at times.
And, of course, Wimbledon ended at around the same time as the football final, and Carlos Alcaraz from Spain won the men’s title.
So, a good season for Spain.
We all like to win but, as we know, not everyone can be the winner.
The results of our recent elections will have caused some people to be elated and others to be really disappointed.
But whether we win or lose, we are all valued equally by God.
In the Bible, in the apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he says:
I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith.
Paul is speaking, not of sport, or politics, but of his Christian journey.
Paul’s Christian journey wasn’t always easy. In fact, at times it was very challenging, and it included being imprisoned for his faith and eventually being martyred. But he knew his goal was to be obedient to Christ, and in this he kept going.
God calls each of us to different things.
We may not be sporty or political, but God has a purpose for each one of us. In life, we sometimes win, and we sometimes lose. And when we lose, it can be tough. But God will never leave us or forsake us. And if we stay faithful to him, I believe he can use our tough times to help others on their faith journeys.
In an online talk I heard recently, the pastor of the church said ‘let your test be your testimony, and let your mess be your message.’ He wasn’t advocating seeking testing times and messes in our lives but was saying that even if we feel we have failed, or been let down, God can still use us.
Wimbledon 2024 and UEFA European Football Championships 2024 are over, and we have embarked upon a new phase in Government, whether we are celebrating or commiserating, God remains the same. He calls each one of us to run the race with him; to embark on a relationship that lasts a lifetime. Are you running that race?
Take care and God bless,
Sue