The Prize

I happened to be in Edmonton today and missed the return of the Stanley "Cup-less" Edmonton Oilers by a mere hour. I would have enjoyed seeing them because in my mind they are incredibly successful. I read today that they are the only 8th seed team in Stanley Cup history to make it to the finals, much less to Game 7.

During the presentation last night, Tyler (our youngest son) went to his room and brought out his McDonalds replica Stanley Cup to kiss and parade around the room in the same way the Carolina Hurricanes were doing on the ice. (He's convinced that he's going to play hockey for the Calgary Flames and win the Cup with Jerome Iginla... I hope he does. A hockey career will help considerably with my retirement plans!)

Hebrews talks about running to win the prize and I can't help but think that the celebration in heaven will trump anything that we can create here for a sports championship. The crowd there is made up of every saint that has ever run "the race" and even today they are cheering you and me on to run it well. Max Lucado wrote that when it's all said and done that our Heavenly Father will rise from His throne to join the applause as we cross the final finish line. (If you think about that for too long, it will bring tears to your eyes or keep you from sleeping!)

Tyler may one day be in a Stanley Cup, World Series or Grey Cup championship parade. (Let a dad dream...) but of this I'm sure, the party in heaven when we arrive there will make anything here look pretty lame.

Keep on running! The prize makes it all worth it!

Tim