Champions

Monday night at about 11:45 pm Eastern Standard Time the University of North Carolina Tar Heels became NCAA college basketball champions for the 2008-09 season. Being a Tar Heel fan I enjoyed every minute of the celebration. I have watched Tyler, Danny and Bobby, who are now seniors from the time they were freshman; and Ty, Wayne, and Deon came along a year later. Those boys put on quite a show in the championship game, a very impressive display of playing excellent basketball. Now they are champions!

I begin to think about what is a champion. To me a champion is one that stands out above all and wins the prize. A champion demonstrates excellence. A champion has climbed the mountain and now stands on the pinnacle. A champion is one who through hard work, strict discipline, and focused effort, using ones talents and abilities, setting its eyes on the prize, not giving up or giving in, and wins.

As much as I love my tar heels and am glad they won the championship I must say there is a cause greater than basketball to be champion of. Most of all I want to be a champion for Christ. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…………………” This verse tells me the heavenly grandstands are full of those who have already gone on before cheering me on to victory. They are saying, whatever it takes, it will be worth it to claim the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and win the prize.

I someday want to stand on the mountaintop with Christ as a champion for His cause.