From Olympic Gold to Golden Leaves

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ;

Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, through our Lord, Jesus Christ.

My family and I loved watching the Olympic Games from Beijing. Four years ago, when the Olympic Games were in Athens, Greece, I wanted to take my wife and daughter to Athens, and not only show them around the city in which I was born, but also witness history in the making.

What comes to your mind when you think of the Olympics? For some it may be the extravagance — $100 million (plus) being spent on the opening and closing ceremonies alone.

The human drama of the games may come to your mind. Dara Torres was the oldest swimmer to win a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics when she was 33. Now, as a 41-year-old mom she is the first swimmer from the United States to compete in five Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, and 2008. She competed in the Beijing Olympic Games in the 50 meter freestyle, 4×100 medley relay, and 4×100 freestyle relay and won the silver medal in all three of these events.

For some it may be the pride of watching U.S. athletes and seeing the medal count add up. We thrilled to the news that Team USA brought home 36 Bronze Medals, 38 Silver Medals, and 38 Gold Medals, and our hearts swelled with prize as Michael Phelps came home with eight world-record (and Olympic-record) breaking Gold Medals in swimming!

Whether or not you watched the 2008 Olympics, it's interesting to note that the New Testament actually has numerous references to the Olympic Games. The culture in which Christianity spread was very familiar with the original Olympics in Athens, Greece, so early believers often used imagery from those games to make a point.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24, 25, Paul writes, “Do you not 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 games 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 “crown” Paul refers to was the laurel wreath awarded to the Olympic champions of that day.

As we watched the Olympic games this year, they were a great reminder to examine our own priorities. What is the “crown” we're striving for and putting all our energies into? The Olympic athletes devote years of their lives for that one chance to become an Olympic champion, just as each of us, as God’s children, are called to live our lives for HIM in the hopes of attaining the prize… the crown of life.

Olympic Gold, the roar of the crowds, and the fame and glory will all fade away, as Jesus reminds us that “heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will never pass away.” . A personal relationship with God through Jesus offers a reward that will never fade away. As Elaine Breeden, another U.S. Olympic swimmer says, “If I put his (God's) kingdom first, everything else will fall into place.

As the fall season begins, let us take to heart the words from Matthew 6:33… “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and everything else will be added to you.” Or, in the words of a favorite praise hymn… “Turn your eyes upon Jesus… Look full in his wonderful face… and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”

I Bid You Peace…
Dr. Ken +