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Before training for ministry at Queens College, Birmingham, Robin worked for 18 years in the Banking sector, including 3 years as an area trainer. Prior to training for ministry in Birmingham he lived in Eastbourne and was an active member of the circuit there. He is a very keen football and cricket supporter, and also plays squash, table tennis and will try virtually any sport. His passion is for social ministry and has a strong concern to build community.
Robin is married to Mandy, and they have two children, Jonathan and Christopher. Mandy is a qualified accounts manager and has worked for several years in the manufacturing industry.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (New International Version:
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.
Soon billions of people around the world will be absorbed by the Games of the 29th Olympiad. In August athletes from all over the world will gather in Beijing, China to compete in every kind of sport you can imagine. These men and women in the Olympics train very hard in the hopes that they will win a gold medal. The Apostle Paul was familiar with the Olympics, for we know that he spent a good deal of time in southern Greece as he ministered in the city of Corinth which is not far from the fabled city of Delphi, Greece, the home of the original Olympics.
Back then the Roman athletes competed for crowns of leaves, instead of ribbons and medals like we do, when they ran races. They wore the crowns in parades and at parties after the games while they celebrated their victories. But their crowns wilted and died because they were made of fresh leaves. The beauty of the Christian life, however, is that we are not striving to win a gold medal! Instead God is going to give us a crown of glory that will last forever! And it's for everyone who crosses the finish line and no matter what place they finish!
Yet there are two things that we need to do in order to finish the race of life. Firstly we need to qualify for the race and then finally we need to train for the race.
Qualify for the race ........
In order to compete, the athletes in the Olympic Games would have to qualify. The qualification must be attainable. It must be within their reach or else there would be no point trying. Yet, for some the qualification in becoming a Christian and then to live a life of righteousness, can feel at times unattainable. There is however somebody who qualifies us for the race. Through Jesus living a perfect life and dying on our behalf, He qualifies us for the race should we chose to enter. Jesus death and resurrection is our ticket. And Paul says that all we have to do in order for us to gain qualification is to put our trust in the qualifier. We have to believe in Him, what He came for, and trust that He can qualify us for this eternal prize.
Train for the race ........
Training to compete in the Olympics is hard work, especially in certain countries that do not offer suitable training facilities. Many athletes dedicate their whole lives to that one thing. To the extent that they often spend hours every day training for their sport. As Christians we must show the same dedication and stamina as an athlete. As such we must train in such a way that will enable us to compete, but more than just compete, to finish the race. So how does a person train spiritually? Through worship, bible study and prayer, these are what enable us to build up our faith and also help us to live it out. Like the athlete this involves dedication, we must train when we feel like it and when we don't. Otherwise, we will grow tired and we will fail to finish the race.
So in order to finish this race of life that Paul talks about we need to firstly qualify for the race and secondly we need to continually train. That way we won’t be like the person Paul describes as "running aimlessly; or beating the air." Instead will be running to win the prize, that is an eternity spent with God.
Robin Selmes
