“I PRESS ON TO REACH THE END OF THE RACE AND RECEIVE THE HEAVENLY PRIZE”
”I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us«
(Philippians 3:14, NLT).
IF WE COULD ask any soccer player what their greatest dream is, I’m almost certain they would reply, «To win the World Cup.» During the 200ó FIFA World Cup in Germany, Ronaldo, a former player in the Brazilian team, stated that his «goal was to win the World Cup» As many of us know, Ronaldo was unable to attain his goal because Italy was crowned world champion that year.
Winning a World Cup is not always an option within reach for most soccer players. In fact, many players who at some point were considered the best in the world were unable to become world champions. Therefore, a soccer player’s true success can not be defined based on how many World Cups they have won.
Let’s consider the example of another soccer player: Ricardo Kaká. He was in fact able to define which elements would make him a true winner. To him there are three cornerstones to become successful in life: faith, family, and soccer (work). Loving God, loving our family, and loving what we do—that is where true success lies! If we want to score the best goal in this earthly life, our best efforts should be focused on those three points.
In 2008, after being awarded the Golden Ball, Kaká left everyone stunned when he pronounced these words:” I have been named the best soccer player in the world … This for me was a great honor. But the greatest honor is serving Jesus Christ, because He gives me hope. Everything else will be lost with the inevitable passage of time, but hope in Christ extends beyond the honors and achievements we might obtain on this earth, independent of how colossal they may be. Kaká perfectly understood Paul’s words: “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:14, NLT).
What is that prize? Peter states it this way: “You are attaining the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:9, NET). We are to aim for that true victory. Our country might not be able to win a World Cup, but we can receive the best prize: salvation.
” Jeremy V. Jones, Toward the Goal: The Koká Story (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zonderkidz, 2010), p. 112.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2023
“I AM WITH YOU”
From: J. VLADIMIR POLANCO
Collaborators: Lorina Maya & Avineyda Hernandez