I have always had such an admiration for Olympic athletes. The years of sacrifice and the many lifestyle choices they must make. I think about the people around them that support them and those that they must leave behind because they have a talent to pursue. Athleticism is not a skill that is listed on my resume, unless printing my resume and walking to the printer to get it counts… Oh well, I think not.

What drives an athlete to do what they do? They train for hours and hours, in spite of multiple injuries and pain. They push their bodies and minds to keep working, way past exhaustion. They sacrifice so much. Why? Because their eye is on the prize.

What is at the heart of the Christian faith? What motivates Christians to continue to act like Christians in 2021? We are made fun of for what we believe. We are told our beliefs are out dated, we are irrelevant, we are threatened with being “canceled” and being removed from platforms in a country founded on religious freedoms. Do we give up, go home, and stop being who we are at the core of our being? OR, we choose to dig deep, keep on training in the Word of God and through prayer and fasting. We push on, way past exhaustion, and know we will never sacrifice as much as our Savior did at Calvary’s cross.

As we approach this Easter let’s follow the example of Jesus. Let’s find peace IN the suffering; pain WITH purpose; and hope IN the affliction. We are reminded why we do what we do in Hebrews 12:1-2 ” Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.“

My brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s be spiritual champions and get our eyes on the prize, just like Jesus did. Let’s love people with the truth of God’s Word and remind them of the beauty of the cross. Happy Resurrection Day from Desert Streams Ministry.                        Courtnay Aycock