He rowed for 10 full months and covered over 9,500 nautical miles. But in the end he fell agonizingly short.
In February, Italian Alex Bellini began from Peru with the goal being to eventually arrive in Australia. But just 65 miles short of his destination, the 30-year old met up with strong winds and became too physically wasted to row his 25’ vessel any farther - despite being almost in literal site of the finish. The battered sailor told the press that he was feeling fine, all things considered, but was totally exhausted. Bellini sited two reasons for the dangerous and rugged journey. The first was to cross the Pacific alone. Secondly, it was to test his personal limits and discover something about himself.
Since most people never even consider attempting something as exhilarating or dangerous as Alex Bellini, they will never know the headiness of victory or utter disappointment of falling short of such a lofty personal goal. But there is another finish line - a spiritual and universal one. Crossing it victoriously brings an unparalleled prize. But failure means an unimaginable and frightening result. It is a challenge to which every man and woman needs to be fully aware and take serious aim at. Failure to do so will bring consequences not even worthy to be compared with losing at any earthly pursuit.
In Romans chapter 3, the Apostle Paul revealed that every man’s relationship with his or her Creator was a doomed voyage from the start. Verse 23 reads, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” To put it bluntly man is born physically alive but spiritually dead. (Ephesians 2:1-2) All enter into life in a state of utter spiritual defeat and worthy of divine judgment. The term ‘fall short’ as seen in Romans 3 literally means ‘to miss the mark’. Man in his natural unregenerate state can never know God, please God, or be at peace with Him on any level. He is born dead.
Personal human achievements, no matter how impressive, will not carry any weight when the time arrives for all to give an account to their maker. On that sobering day all lame and desperate excuses for not accepting a relationship with Jesus Christ will instantly dissolve, being quickly followed by the mind-boggling realization of Hebrews 10:31. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
But with all of that said, this unimaginable scenario need never occur. The same apostle who wrote that all have fallen short and missed the mark of God’s standards also penned the words in Romans 5:1-2. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” There is hope and there is a solution! It is the very same one as Paul and Silas offered to the desperate and suicidal jailer in Acts 16:31. “So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…”
Alex Bellini gave a heroic effort but still missed his goal. But Alex still has options. He can rest and be content with his great attempt. He can become bitter about his failure and do nothing. Or he can even try for the victory again and work harder, should that be his desire. But no such options exist when relating to the God of the Bible. When all is said and done, and life comes to a halt, each of us will have either missed God’s mark fully through our own human efforts or will have hit the target squarely through the person and work of Christ!
In the final analysis, there will be no spiritual middle ground, no compromise, no acceptance of worthy performances, and no second chances. Reconciliation between God and man will be based solely on what John described in 1 John 5:12. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Could that have been made any clearer?
When thinking of the heavenly finish line, unbelievers need to consider Jesus’ own words in Matthew16:26-27. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” And believers need to hone in on the words of Paul. “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain.” (1 Corinthians 9:24)
Bill Breckenridge
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