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Tuesday

The Second Run

Snowboarders get two runs in the Olympics, competing for gold in the finals.
Shaun White went last, and on his first run, his score was much higher than anyone else's first run score. In fact, it was so high, that after everyone else had done their second run (except him -- he was last) his first score was still much higher than anyone else's first OR second run score. In other words, he made his own second run TOTALLY IRRELEVANT. He had already won the gold by the time the last of his competitors had given his best in vain. For his second run, Shaun White could have slid down the half pipe on his stomach, drank a beer, rode a bike, sang the Sesame Street theme song, or gone to sleep. Or he could have skipped it entirely. He would still have ended up wearing the gold medal around his neck.

His second run was totally irrelevant, before it even began. He had already begun celebrating. He had the biggest, dumbest smile pasted on his face. He and his coaches were pumping their fists and making noises that sounded quiet primate-ish. Suddenly, his coach grabbed Shaun White's face in his hands, looked him in the eye, and said:

"Do whatever you want on this one. Whatever you want. This is your run."

His words were filled with breathless excitement, exhilaration, absolute joy.

It was like he was saying, "Just do what you were made for."

Shaun White plunged into his second run with ecstatic intensity. He was a joy to watch, precision and flight, like when you scream as loud as you can but the wind is so loud you can't even hear yourself.

He finished with some kind of Triple Mega McTwist-licious Madness move that had never been seen before -- he'd been working on this move all year, practicing in secret, and saving it for the finals.

His second score was higher than his first.

We who believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ are on that second run, right now.

Our life is the second run. Jesus Christ already did the first run for us. He fulfilled what we could not.
He said, (John 16:33) "... be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Why is His overcoming the world good news for us?  Because he did it on our behalf. The victory has already been won: (2 Corinthians 2:14) "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."

We are on the second run.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Joy unspeakable and full of glory!!!

Thanks Johnny

Drew Bartels said...

So awesome! Praise the Lord! Thank you my brother!