Let the Games Begin

The Summer Olympics 2008 are underway for what will be one of the largest sporting spectaculars of all time. The world’s best athletes are in Beijing, China and the world is tuned in through almost every imaginable media outlet. Beijing has proved to be a controversial sight to host the event at best. We already have witnessed an unprecedented number of protestors and demonstrations leading up to the start of the Olympics. The Olympic torch relay had to continually be rerouted and much of its journey had to be somewhat covert to avoid the protests. Olympic committees have tried to hush and silence many of the athletes and coaches who would like to take the opportunity to speak out against China and its political and Human Rights policies. Visas have been revoked, some athletes have already been threatened and a few sent packing. Most of the athletes just simply want the opportunity to compete against the World’s best competition in the events for which they have trained for so many years. Many of these Olympians have gold medal aspirations. Others are not so much gold medal hopeful, as they just are proud to represent their Nation in such a way that will make their homeland proud.

I am competitive in my very nature and I love to watch particularly the track and field competition. No offence to you synchronized swimming fans. I have a track and field background and I find the track and field competition inspiring. I was reading an article on an airplane as I was returning from a mission trip to Africa. The article was in the Hemispheres magazine on United Airlines by Maria Johnson entitled “Running Strong.” It was about the 1964 Gold Medalist Billy Mills a Native American who was an unheard of athlete on the world’s scene. He seemingly came from out of nowhere to win the 10,000 meter race. Something no American had done before or since. A retired insurance agent and now a motivational speaker he shared his story in the article and I want to share a couple of thoughts with you. He grew up immersed in poverty on a reservation in South Dakota. His mother died when he was 8 years old and his father died when he was 12. He experienced a great deal of discrimination in his youth which added to an already difficult life. Mills shared this part of his life in the article and I quote,

Shortly after my mom died, my dad and I went fishing, but I was in another world. My dad hugged me and simply said, “Son, you have broken wings.” I started crying, and he said, “I’ll share something with you, and if you follow it, someday you’ll have the wings of an eagle. …Close your eyes and look inside your heart. What do you find?” Well, I was too young to understand, but he said, “I’ll tell you what you find: anger, because you lost your mom; hate because people have expressed hatred toward us; jealousy, because we don’t have anything of value; self pity. All of those emotions destroy you.” He said, “look down deeper, where the dreams lie. Find your dream, son. Pursue your dream. It’s the pursuit of a dream that heals you.

Somewhere in that conversation he suggested that he try sports and running became his passion.

Later in the article Mills described the last turn in his Olympic event quote again:

Coming off the curve, we were lapping a runner from Germany. He looked back and saw me coming and opened up the fourth lane for me. If he had stayed where he was, I don’t know if I could have done it. As I went by him, I thought we were going to bump, so I glanced back at him. At the center of his jersey was an EAGLE, the German insignia. It was so powerful. I went back to what my dad said- the wings of an eagle. With 30 yards to go, I’m lifting my knees, I’m doing the sprinting I’d been practicing. My thoughts were “I won, I won, I won, I won.” Then I broke the tape. It was an incredibly powerful feeling.

I considered this past Olympian’s dad’s words that inspired him achieve the gold medal. Look in your heart. Do you have broken wings that come from broken dreams? Are you consumed with anger, hatred, bitter feelings, do you carry unforgiveness, self pity and other emotional baggage? These things will destroy us and keep us out of the race we are called to run. We need to look to the One who promises to bare us up on eagle’s wings. The One who gives power to the faint and increases their strength. The One who promises to those who wait on Him, “…shall renew their strength; they shall count up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 We have more than the hopes of gold medals at stake. We have the reputation of our God whose banner we carry and whose name we bare. There is a crown to receive for His glory. A great cloud of witnesses from our homeland is cheering us on and for us to make proud. Let’s join the race as the World’s attention and focus is drawn to one place, Beijing. Let’s focus our attention on THE RACE and His Kingdom we represent.

As Christians what should be our response to these Olympic Games? Here are some practical ways we can enter the competition for the glory of God:

1. Pray for the Christian athletes to have boldness to share their faith during these games.

2. Pray for those who are handing out tracts and other Gospel literature in and around these games.

3. Pray for the underground and persecuted Church in China during these games.

4. Let each athlete that stands on a platform receiving a medal be a reminder to pray for that people group that they represent.

Let’s not just be couch potatoes during these Olympic Games or pew potatoes; but let us run the race through prayer for the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is worthy of our best efforts. Let the Games Begin!