Saturday, August 06, 2016

Snuffing the flame

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games have officially began with a spectacular opening ceremony that showcased Brazil to the world. To represent your country at the highest level of competition is the greatest honour that an athlete can achieve. It takes years of training, discipline, and commitment. As Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement once said, the most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning, but taking part." How right he was.

I don't have a sporting bone in my body. That doesn't stop me from respecting the sporting achievements of others. As for me, I decided to concentrate on getting an education instead. Hopefully my educational achievements count for something in God's eyes, but other areas of my life have unquestionably suffered. I regret this. If I had my time over again, I would do things differently, and I would have a more balanced life, and be a more contented person today. It's like winning an Olympic bronze medal, and regretting that I missed out on the gold by a nanosecond.

At times like this I cling to God, and His work of salvation in my life, and the knowledge that what I have in Christ is worth more than any medal (1 Peter 1:7), or having my name in a record book. My name is inscribed in the book of life (Romans 8:37-39, Philippians 4:3), and will remain there long after sports records books have turned to dust.

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