One of the most moving moments of Olympic history
 happened in the 1968 Mexico City Games.

The favorite in the marathon was a runner from Ethiopia.

He developed a stress fracture and had to drop out.

One of his countrymen picked up the pace
and went on to win the gold medal.

This was the first time in history that three consecutive
gold medals had been won by the same team in this event.

However, long after the winners had finished
and received their praise,
the final runner entered the stadium.

Sirens blared as a lone man entered the stadium.

Only a few hundred people were left but as they realized
 this was a runner who was finishing long after all the others,
they began to applaud.

Quietly at first, but it grew into a crescendo of applause
 as he took his last lap around the track
with his feet bandaged and bloody.

He was John Stephen Akhwari from Tanzania.

The next day the lead story in the newspaper said,
“Today we have seen a young African  runner
who symbolized  the finest in the human spirit,
a performance that gives meaning to the word courage.
All honor to John Stephen Akhwari.”

They asked him,
“Why did you continue to run
when you were all alone and no one would see you?

You knew you could not win.
You could not even finish in the top 10.
You knew you would be last, why did you continue to run?”

He responded,
“Gentlemen, I don’t think you understand.
My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race.
They sent me to finish the race!”

What a great statement.
“I didn’t come to start the race. I came to finish the race.”

Too often, we start,
but it becomes hard or people criticize us and we give up.
There is so much that needs to be done.

We can’t do it all at once,
but we can start, and if we don’t quit, we can finish.

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"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,
not knowing what will happen to me there.
I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me
that prison and hardships are facing me.
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me,
if only I may finish the race and complete the task
the Lord Jesus has given me--
the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
Acts 20:22-24

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I do all this for the sake of the gospel,
that I may share in its blessings.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,
but only one gets the prize?

Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last;
but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly;

I do not fight like a man beating the air.
No, I beat my body and make it my slave
so that after I have preached to others,
I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Cor 9:23-27

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For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,
and the time has come for my departure.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith.

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day--
and not only to me,
but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
2 Tim 4:6-8