Hebrews 12:1b..."Let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

The blisters, the soreness, no rest for the weary or the determined-this describes the 11-day existence of the competitors of the premiere adventure race Eco-Challenge that now lies behind us. Many of we who are numbered as armchair adventurers lived vicariously as Pure NZ.com and Eco-Internet played a chess game of strategy over 300 miles of inhospitable terrain to take the Stanley Cup of expedition racing.

Yet, in this madhouse of 60 plus teams lays a lesson for the Kingdom of God.

To survey the competitive landscape we find the presence of a few elite athletes. People endowed with abilities to excel. They appear unstoppable. This is where you find teams like Eco-internet and Pure NZ.com. To steal from Bruce Springsteen they 'Are Born to Run'. Yet, if you stop and think the situation is equally true when we survey the landscape of the Kingdom of God. There are the few 'elite', people with exceptional abilities. It is seen in the writings of men like John Piper, in the gifted analysis of the Scriptures like a John MacArthur or the insightful application of God's Word as in a Charles Stanley.

The wonderful thing about the mixture of the elite athlete and the weekend warriors at Eco Internet is the realization that not everyone can run with the big dogs. As Mark Burnette, organizer of Eco-Challenge, "There are two races. One group trying to win, then there's everyone is else" just trying to finish. Maybe, God's Kingdom would appear a little healthier if we realized that we all can't run with the big dogs. Most of us aren't among the 1% that is exceptionally gifted. If we would accept that maybe then we would quit burning out, or as is more common, being overwhelmed with a feeling of perceived inadequacies, we just throw in the towel. Maybe, knowing our limitations would keep more good men and women active for the Kingdom.

Another great lesson for the Kingdom at the Eco-Challenge is a team must finish together. You get nothing if your entire team doesn't cross the line en masse'. Think of it; a teammate gets injured. He isn't ditched so the selfish ambitions of others can press on for victory. The team sticks together and does whatever is necessary to get all of them across. Exhaustion, discouragement, and sickness-no one goes through it alone. No one is abandoned because they are weak. What if God's Kingdom was focused on "We'll all stick together"? What if our churches made sure to keep tabs on the weak? No doubt when the Scriptures speaks of "building up one another" and "bearing one another's burdens" it is speaking of just such a mentality.

Then we can't forget Team Go. Team Go was comprised of regular people with regular jobs attempting something extraordinary. With teams like Eco-Internet, you were amazed by their abilities and strength. They were fun to watch, but you couldn't imagine you being able compete with them. On the other hand, I could imagine myself on Team Go. They were 'everyman's team.' They made me believe the Eco-Challenge was doable. Is it possible that we would do more good for the Kingdom of God by recognizing the 'John Doe believer' who in his ordinary life overcomes extraordinary challenges, and just keeps pressing on?

We began with a verse from Hebrews. Let's end the same way. Hebrews 11:38, "Of whom the world was not worthy." Note that it speaks not of Abraham and Moses from earlier in the chapter. Rather it is speaking of the unknown Christians who through great struggles have "finished the race."