Olympic Spirit

I love watching the Olympics… from the amazing opening ceremonies, to the thrilling competitions, to the emotional medal ceremonies, all the way through to the closing ceremony with its hope and challenge for the future.

Yet it seems that so many commentators (and many of my friends) have a hard time focusing on anything but the negative aspects of the Olympic Games. Who in the world doesn’t know that the beautiful little girl who sang during the opening was actually lip-syncing for a girl with better pipes… but who was deemed not cute enough? The amazing fireworks… it turns out they were digitally enhanced. So many controversies: the actual age of gymnasts, scoring irregularities, people displaced to make room for a sterile Olympic environment, doping accusations, and so much more. As always, people persist in looking for the splinter in their neighbor’s eye, while ignoring the log in their own eye.

I started off on this Olympic theme because of a comment by my good friend, Monica. She mentioned how Olympic athletes train for competition; specifically how swimmer Michael Phelps eats somewhere in the neighborhood of 12,000 calories per day! That’s 4-6 times what most of us take in on a daily basis. Of course, he burns all of those calories training 5 hours every day, and unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve seen what that training can accomplish: 8 Olympic Gold Medals (in just these games). Monica drew the analogy that if we exercise and grow our faith more, we need to be nourished more… spiritually! She graciously suggested that this blog is one opportunity, but there are so many more ways that we can train, and grow, and be strengthened, and… be nourished by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.

Think of all the ways that you might enhance your spiritual training beyond Sunday worship; you could (deep breath):

• Add your voice to the choir;
• Join a prayer group;
• Participate in Bible Study;
• Volunteer your talents;
• Serve on a committee or counsel;
• Pray for someone;
• Give joyfully;
• Turn away from sinful habits;
• Share the Good News with a hurting world;
• Be open to new spiritual growth opportunities.

(I bet you can think of many other ways).

For me, I will continue to train. I will continue to run the race. For me, there is no Olympic medal stand, but for every spiritual victory I will delight in the glory of God. I won’t wrap myself in a flag of some nation… but I will be covered in the love, and forgiveness, and salvation of Jesus Christ.

I’ll see you on the practice field! Your brother in Christ,

Dave