The longest day

This week two men brought the world to a standstill, as they grunted and sweated and aced their way to one of the greatest tennis matches of the modern era.

Here are the stats:

Longest match at Wimbledon

Duration: 11 hours, 5 minutes

Longest final set - 138 games

Greatest number of games: 183

The crowd was concerned that the players would collapse, but daylight had the last say and forced the game to extend to a new day. It was one of the greatest games ever and now Isner and Mahut will be linked forever. At the end, Isner collapsed and rolled on the court and then embraced his opponent.

Anyone joining in the drama near the end may have thought of the players as incompetents. They were tired, wobbly, spent - but still sending down aces (the most ever).

My friend, Grantley Morris, describes a marathon runner reaching the last rise, stumbling like a child or a drunk. Anyone ignorant of their preceding struggle, may be tempted to ridicule such a runner. Yet, to him that overcomes falls the greatest reward.

There is a fight that all believers must engage - a race, a struggle, a war. Yet we shall overcome, by God's grace. At times, we may well be left stumbling around in bewilderment, yet His grace still sustains us. We are also cheered on by the great assembled throng of witnesses that stand before the throne of God, who rise and sway with each triumph, shouting us along, until we reach the line.

As the clouds gather and we push through the mists, we may well feel like bowing out, but beyond every struggle is a triumph - reason enough to keep going on. We will overcome, for greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world and, if God be for us, who can be against us.

So, if your struggle seems thankless right now, be encouraged to keep going. Its never over until its over. The fight is worthwhile and the prize is priceless.

Many might view the prizes for overcoming, in Revelations 3-4, as eternal prizes. That is theologically untenable. The pot of manna is only relevant to a now struggle, for it gives us the grace to overcome the struggles in this life. If that be true, then we must also concede that God will reveal our name and purpose now. He will also give us access to the tree of life. Overcoming is not a single event but a journey, through which God will more than provide for us, so that we can overcome and win the resources we need to keep getting stronger and stronger unto that perfect day.

(c) Peter Eleazar @ www.4u2live.net