I love the Tour de France. I always have. As long as I can remember, I’ve watched the Tour wishing I could be a participant. Even at my age, I wake up early, watch as much of the day’s stage as I can, and wonder what it would be like to be able to ride that long, that fast, that hard.

In addition to the yellow jersey, the jersey worn by the rider currently leading the 21-day event, there are other jerseys given for other reasons, including the polka dot jersey worn by the king of the mountain. Already this year, and we’re only 9 race days into the Tour, the cyclists have ridden in the Alps and the Pyrenees. And there are ways to earn mountain points during most stages of the race, points given at various locations throughout the day following a climb of some significance.

Just the other day, as the race climbed its way up to nearly a mile above sea-level, as the road narrowed to the width of a single car, and as the lone leader for the day struggled his way towards the top, I noticed signs or banners marking the way, arches, if you will, announcing just how much farther the rider had to go to reach the top. 4km. 2km. 1km. Until he finally reached the pinnacle of the mountain and had earned himself 10 mountain points as the first rider across that line for the day.

But here’s the thing. Although he had earned his 10 points and crossed that line painted on the road, he hadn’t finished the race. In fact, he still had another hour or more left in the saddle. He had crossed a line and reached a milestone and accomplished something significant, but he hadn’t finished the Tour de France or even that day’s stage.

We should think about particularization the way a Tour rider thinks about the King of the Mountain points. As the day approaches, we are surely crossing a significant marker and reaching a milestone. We are accomplishing something worthy of celebration. But it doesn’t mark the end of the race.

You and I have been called to plant a church in Athens. The role of the church in the world is to gather and perfect the saints, to reach the lost and equip them to serve Christ and his kingdom. That calling doesn’t stop with the election and installation of our own elders and deacons. It may change how we do some of the things that we do, but it won’t change our role in this community.

So be encouraged because we’ve climbed that peak and earned 10 mountain points. But let me encourage you to press on. It’s amazing how many times the Bible encourages us with words like those in 2 Thessalonians 3:13. There must be a reason that God reminds us regularly not to grow weary – and it must be because we are so prone to growing weary.

It would be tempting, having gained our mountain points for accomplishing that long, steep climb, to fall over and rest – from tired muscles, from aches and pains. However, we must press on. May God grant us the grace not to grow weary of doing good.