ץ Derek Redmond's Hamstring and God's Grace to Mortal Man. Pastor Whitaker of Evangelical Community Church jogs, and used that theme well in his sermon today. That sounds too like "muscular Christianity", but his theology was good. What I liked best was the story of Derek Redmond (be sure and click on that link to see the photo):

Derek Redmond of Great Britain is in agony as he is helped to the finish line by his father, Jim, after tearing his hamstring muscle in the semi-finals of the men's 400 meter run.
Redmond collapsed about half way through the race with the injury, but got up, determined to finish despite the pain. His father came out of the stands and onto the track to help his son. Redmond initially tried to push him away, not realizing who he was, but then heard a familiar voice. "Derek, it's me" his father said.
Redmond told his father "I've got to finish this race." His father said "If you're gonna finish the race, we'll finish it together."
With his father's help, Redmond made it to the finish line.

Pastor Whitaker's point was that in the Christian's race, he needs the help of God, his Father. To continue on a bit from what he said: every race has a finish line. If you've pulled your hamstring, you're not going to win, or even make it to the finish line unaided. And humans, being mortal, are hamstrung. We are mortal, and even if we progress continually towards perfection, which may not even be possible, we are going to die before we get there. That is true of all of us, however saintly. We will only make it with God's help.

More could be said on this, citing I Corinthians on races and Hebrews 11 on the saints who did not live to see the promises fulfilled, and contrasting this with the Roman Catholic and secular attitude towards saints, but I haven't time right now.

[ http://php.indiana.edu/~erasmuse/w/04.01.04a.htm . erasmusen@yahoo.com. ]

To return to Eric Rasmusen's weblog, click http://php.indiana.edu/~erasmuse/w/0.rasmusen.htm.