On Your Mark… Get Set… Merry Christmas!!!
By Kisha Marie
Have
you ever been laughed at when you were trying your best and still you came up
short? When I was young and strong I was an athlete. I loved sports. I ran
track, played volleyball, kickball. I was a cheerleader and a synchronized leg
kicker of my high school band’s dance line. I even tried my hand at football.
(Don’t judge me! LOL) While I enjoyed competing, I never was the best at any
one thing and that was okay with me. I just had to be better than I was the day
before, the event before… and not come in last place if I could avoid it.
However I learned that this was not always going to be the case. Regardless of
how I started I knew that if I just persevered to the end I would finish strong
because it mattered to me and my team.
One
of the most embarrassing events of my life happened when I was a teenager. I
was at a track meet for novice competitors. It was a place where the non-elite
could celebrate success and coaches could push their rising stars to new
heights. Unfortunately, there was a mistake and it was not made in my favor. As
a sprinter I was entered into the 100 meter race. This was one of my favorite
events. Either you kicked butt or you got your butt kicked. There was no gray
area. Almost as soon as the race begins, it is over.
So
there I was, poised to burn up the track, finally getting my chance to win a
medal for an event that I loved. I had been working hard and preparing for this
moment for weeks. The starting shot rang out and I pushed off. My legs were
pumping. My arms were driving. The only problem was… I was waaaay too slow. Everyone
around me was charging ahead. All I could see was the back of their jerseys.
Right then and there I realized my worst fear had come to pass. I was being
left in their dust.
It
was like being in a dream. By the time I was halfway down the length of the
football field my competitors were ALL approaching the finish line. The crowd
went from cheering everyone on to snickering, laughing and pointing… at me! I couldn’t
believe my eyes. How did this all go so wrong? I was in shock. Embarrassed.
Humiliated. But… taking my pride out of the situation, I realized how funny
this must have looked. I couldn’t help but to burst into laughter myself. But I
kept running. Laughing and running all the way to the finish line.
As
I persevered to the end I could see all of the other runners exit the track.
All of the time keepers peeled away from the edge of the field except for one.
I knew that he was there to keep track of me. All of my team members turned
their backs and walked away shaking their heads and laughing except for one.
Yet while he was doubled over I could still hear him yelling “Come on Kisha!
Keep going!” in between his visible gasps for breath between laughs. Every
coach for every team had also turned away except for one. My coach was still
standing on the sidelines… waiting… with a smile on his face. He eventually apologized
to me saying that he accidentally placed me in the fastest heat instead of the
slowest. Even though I was set up against impossible odds, he was proud of me
for never giving up.
When
the opposing teams had fallen away and it seemed like no one was watching. I
had 3 people who were at the finish line keeping watch over me. I could hear
cheers in the stands coming from the people who had watched me struggle to hold
my head up and keep my form together until the end. It is that moment that has
stayed with me through the years.
The
Holy Bible tells us that over 2,000 years ago the prophecy of a savior was
fulfilled through the birth of Jesus the Christ. Upon his birth an angel
appeared to the shepherds in a field declaring his arrival and the heavens
opened up and rejoiced. His birth was recorded in history.
Luke 2:1-21 New International Version (NIV)
The Birth of Jesus
2 In those
days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the
entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took
place while[a] Quirinius
was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town
to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in
Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the
house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary,
who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While
they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and
she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed
him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields
nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of
the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and
they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be
afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today
in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the
Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby
wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared
with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the
baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him,
they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and
all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But
Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had
heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the
child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was
conceived.”
We celebrate
the birth of Jesus because it is the event mankind had been anticipating. It is
the fulfillment of prophecy.
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself
will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a
son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to
us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be
called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Micah 5:2: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one
who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient
times.”
God’s love for us
is a message of hope. When God saw that man was struggling to live a life was
pleasing to Him He sent us a savior to capture the victory for our team.
“For God so
loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16.
Throughout His time on earth Jesus walked through life
experiencing everything we do as human beings. However, He was the living Word
of God (John 1:14). He was the sacrifice that God accepted in place of our sin.
Yes.
I was a member of a state champion varsity track team. Yes. When it was my turn
to represent the team I performed under pressure and did my personal best. Sometimes
I even managed to win a few races. But there were many who came before and
after me who helped the team to finish strong. It doesn’t matter if the odds
are stacked up against us in life and it looks like there is no way for us to
finish this race. Jesus has already captured the victory for our team! It is our
job to keep pressing toward the mark knowing that God is on our side. Run like God
is watching. Don’t sit on the sidelines of your own life and watch it go by.
The coach (God) put you in the game the day you were born. Use the gifts and
talents you were given to run the best race of your life. Be selfless and give
everything you can, not because it is the Christmas Season but because that is
what we are called to do. (Hebrews 13:16, Luke 12:33) After
all, it matters that you use what was given to you to be true to God, honor the
Lord, and follow the guiding of the Holy Spirit.
On
Your Mark… Get Set… Merry Christmas!!!
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