Wreaths and Crowns
And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:4
In October 1988 I arrived in Pittsburgh, USA. Autumn was in full swing, tall red-leaved and yellow -leaved trees were in abundance. We experienced wonderful hospitality in the local church. I noticed many houses had wreaths on their living room walls and front doors. It brought back a childhood memory of seeing wreaths on doors of people who had died. One night, I asked,’ Has someone important died?’ ‘No,’ came the reply. ‘Why are there wreaths on front doors and inside peoples’ houses?’ ‘Oh, that’s just ‘art decor’, the latest trend.’
We can go to wreath making classes these days, using all sorts of different materials. They weren’t as popular in the UK in the 1980s. Wreaths go back as far as ancient Greece, where they were worn on the head or as garlands around the neck. They symbolised triumph, honour, immortality and connection to specific deities. When taking part in a race, the winner would have a laurel wreath either hung around their neck or placed like a crown upon their head, as their prize. It was a great honour.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, the apostle Paul writes about a race and an imperishable crown:
Do you 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 game 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.
The apostle Peter writes about a crown of glory:
And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:4
Paul writes to Timothy about a crown of righteousness:
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 Timothy 4: 8
The bible verses above encourage us to keep running the race that God has set before us. The ancient Greeks, when they ran, they won a perishable laurel wreath and experienced temporary triumph. They longed for a connection with the gods they worshipped and desired immortality.
As Christians, we have a ‘connection’- a relationship, with the one and only God. We also have the promise of immortality, eternal life through Jesus Christ, through his death and resurrection.
When God calls us home and we have finished our race, we will be awarded an imperishable crown of glory and righteousness- not a laurel wreath! Now that’s something to look forward to!
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for dealing with our sins on the cross, and for the gift of eternal life.
Help us to keep running towards you, to finish our race and receive the crown of righteousness.
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash