Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
Apr. 5, 2012

“Keeping Your ‘Eyes on the Prize!’ ”
“Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you….” – Proverbs 4:25

In the effort to “guard your heart,” there is more to it than just avoiding certain elements and attitudes—it is just as much about what you should be doing as well! In this case, Solomon is calling on us to stay focused on what is important, or as the cliché goes, keeping your eyes on the prize!
This certainly doesn't come easy nor without effort. Anything worth having is worth working for—and as we have learned over the past several days there are a host of elements that have a way of distracting us—diverting both our physical and spiritual eyes away from the Cross. And should we fall along the way, which is certainly no disgrace by any means, that does not mean that the prize (God’s glory) is lost or out of reach.
A great example of this is the life of speed skater, Dan Jansen. At his first Olympics in 1984 as an eighteen year old, Jansen finished fourth in the 500 meters, beaten for a bronze medal by only sixteen one hundredths of a second, and he finished sixteenth in the 1,000 meters.
At his second Olympics in Calgary in 1988, on the morning he was to skate the 500 meters, he received a phone call from America. His twenty-year-old sister, Jane, had been fighting leukemia for over a year. She was dying. Dan spoke to her over the phone, but she was too sick to say anything in return. Their brother Mike relayed Jane’s message: She wanted Dan to race for her. Before Dan skated that afternoon, however, he received the news that Jane had died. When he took to the ice, perhaps he tried too hard for his sister. In the 500 meters, he slipped and fell in the first turn. He had never fallen before in a race. Four days later in the 1,000, he fell again, this time, of all places in the straightaway.
At his third Olympics in 1992, he was expected to win the 500 meters, where he had already set world records. For four years he had been regarded as the best speed skater in the world. But he had trouble in the final turn and he finished fourth. In the 1,000 he tied for twenty-sixth.
At his fourth Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994, he again was expected to win in the 500 meters, which was his specialty. Again, tragedy struck. He did not fall, but in the beginning of the final turn he lost control of his left skate and put his hand down, slowing him just enough to finish in eighth place. Afterward, he apologized to his home town of Milwaukee.
He had one race left, the 1,000 meter. One more race and then he would retire. At the midway point of the race, the clock showed he was skating at a world-record pace, and the crowd, including his wife and father, cheered. But with 200 meters to go, the hearts of the fans skipped a beat. Jansen slipped. He didn’t fall, but he slipped, touched his hand to the ice, regained control, and kept skating. When Dan crossed the finish line, he looked at the scoreboard and saw the letters, WR (World Record). Dan Jansen had finally won the gold medal.
Later that day as he stood on the award stand, he looked heavenward, acknowledged his late sister, Jane. He was then asked to skate a victory lap. The lights were turned out, and a single spotlight illuminated Dan’s last lap around the Olympic track. With a gold medal around his neck, roses in one arm, and his baby daughter, Jane, in his other arm, he finally realized his dream. In the closing ceremonies Jansen was chosen for one of the most honored positions—to carry the U.S. flag.
When life and the enemies weapons are coming at us it is easy to get distracted and/or slip and “fall.” I do not think any of us are out to achieve gold medals—but we do have a prize waiting for us. Look straight ahead and keep your eyes on the Cross! You will find it there!
Pastor J. T. Carnell