The 100m is one of those events where the start practically determines the finish. If everyone else shoots off and you stumble, you probably won’t catch up. In the beginning, one must start well.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

It’s interesting that Paul should use the analogy of a race when writing to Timothy. Many a preacher I’m sure has benefitted from being able to associate a race in their sermons with themes of discipline, training, staying the course and finishing well; and it is also easy to see from this analogy how important starting well is to a good race. A good start sets you up for the race ahead; it can put you ahead of the chasing pack, which can in turn give you that motivation to push on. Indeed starting badly or false starting can disqualify you from the race entirely. So how do we start well? We often talk about “going out with a bang”; Linford Christie, the former British 100m sprinter and Olympic Gold winner, famously claimed that he started races “on the B of the Bang”. To me this means to start in anticipation of the start, not before, not after. This means that you start when things start, not a fraction of a second after, but as and when things begin, you are there.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

In the beginning, God was there. Putting “Big Bang Theory” aside, He was there on the B of the Bang so to speak. For a good start God must be present and He must be there from the beginning and not a second after. This new blog marks the start of a new journey for me; I am leaving my full time job in the corporate world and assuming a place as an intern at Church. God has called me to this post and as a result I know that He is here as I start, and importantly I am here too. God is always ready and at the beginning of things; He is after all the Creator. He calls on us to meet Him there; to take our place at the start of the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1). As I embark on a new beginning I can be confident that God has prepared me for this new challenge; He has laid out a track for me, a lane to run down and a finish line to carry me to. What I need to do now is to start, and to start well. Bang.