Never Give Up

More often than not, I think it's safe to say, a breakaway group in a cycling race eventually gets caught by the pursuing bunch. And when they are getting caught, one can identify the exact moment they give up. They sit up in their saddles, slow their pedaling cadence, and resign themselves to the inevitable catch.

And all the riders who attempt a breakaway know this. But they also know that there is always a chance. Sometimes, a break makes it all the way. And sometimes, if he doesn't give up, just one rider finds himself fighting for the finish, trying to outlast the chasing horde of riders behind him for a sweet, sweet victory.

Such was the case in the seventh stage of the Tour of Turkey yesterday. Here's a two-minute clip of what happened. Totally worth it (again and again).

Surely that is enjoyable to watch, even for someone not remotely interested in cycling races. The commentator's utter excitement over the events almost guarantees it. A slightly longer version with better quality and a different commentator can be found here. (And for anyone interested in a 12-min clip with context on either side of the event, it is here.)

I wanted to post something about this finish, not only because I found it absolutely fantastic, but because I hope that I will look through my blog in the future and be able to enjoy it again later on. But early this afternoon I realized another reason to post it: I feel that this race's finish corresponded very well to what I just read in Christ's Object Lessons. To me that seems funny, but the more I watch this video and think about the chapter I read, the more similarities occur to me.

The chapter is "Shall Not God Avenge His Own?" based on Luke 18:1-8, which is the story of the persistent widow who continuously pleads with the judge (who "feared not God, neither regarded man") for justice in a dispute with her enemy. Finally he gets tired of her and relents, ruling in her favor.

The chapter is essentially a lesson in persistent prayer, particularly under difficult times (more particularly in the end times), because how much more generous is the loving God than an inhumane judge?—yet even he relented.

Basically, I relate the prayer (person praying) to Keisse (the cyclist in the video) and the commentator and fans watching the race to everyone in heaven (God, the angels). When suddenly the prayer finds himself in a difficult situation, he does well to "keep calm and carry on." In my case, that would mean persist in prayer, regardless of how inactive God may seem to be to me.

The fact is, He is rooting for me. Even as the commentator in the video says, "You've gotta pray for this, surely everybody!" with regard to Keisse, so God, so the angels are watching and rooting. EGW brought up the example of the Syrophenician woman who came to Him for help. He wanted to help her immediately, to ease her grief and pain, but He also saw it as an opportunity to teach His disciples a lesson in faith. And she demonstrated faith. She didn't waver at His apparent dismissal of her, and "when her faith had been made manifest" He helped her. "The disciples never forgot this lesson, and it is placed on record to show the result of persevering prayer."

Perhaps it is not best to compare one's spiritual journey with that of an athlete, but perhaps this is also an acceptable time to do so, with care. I think it's important to remember that I can only be like this athlete with relation to his persistence, not in what he is relying on. For of course, an athlete is relying on his own strength, attitude, and luck, but a sinner is relying on God. The similarity is that to find victory, neither must give up.

I hope I can remember this lesson like the disciples did. I realized while reading the chapter that perhaps to "pray without ceasing" doesn't only mean to be in a continual state of communion with God, which seems impossible to our linear minds, but to actually just not give up in our prayer for help. I guess in my mind that means thinking that prayer a few times a day, and not just one day, but several, until the Judge rules in my favor (which He always will), even when that feels redundant, even when it feels unworthy or unheard.

I know I have too often just prayed once and left it at that. I've even started to think that that's probably a stronger sign of faith than to keep praying about something. After all, I pray about it, then leave it in God's hands right? Why keep bringing it up if He already knows about it? But I guess there's more to it than that, and sometimes God wants my faith to be "made manifest" through a time of silence from God, perhaps, such that others might have chance to witness me not giving up.

"By our importunate prayers we give evidence of our strong confidence in God," EGW said. I guess that simply means, like Keisse demonstrates so nicely, never give up.