Have you caught it? You know, Olympic fever.

That marvelous illness that makes us want to set a timer when we run to the mailbox. Awesome. I obliterated my last time by four seconds. Bam.

I’m completely hooked. Yesterday I jumped from our front porch swing and stuck the landing.

Another bam.

Even my 2 ½ -year-old grandson jumps around “competing,” then stops and places his hand over his heart. I guess it’s never too early to practice your victorious national anthem stance.

I love watching Team USA compete against the best in the world. These men and women have sacrificed through tears, sweat, injury, and thousands of hours of preparation for this moment in time.

They are amazing examples of hard work, perseverance, and grit. They have overcome personal circumstances that would cause most of us to crawl in a hole and give up.

Their outer strength is reinforced by an incredible inner strength.

They fall down—and stand to compete again.

They miss the mark—then take a breath and give it another try.

They embrace disappointment—and use it as fuel to come back stronger.

Check out what the Apostle Paul had to say about good athletic competition:

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. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Paul is giving us a striking example of how to approach our Christ-walk. Every attitude and action must revolve around one goal and purpose—to honor and glorify God.

 

The athletes we admire do not compete aimlessly. They have a purpose and a goal. Everything they do is in preparation and training for that goal.

They know that life is too short to run aimlessly.

It’s also too short to get knocked down and stay down.

(This is where it gets really exciting…)

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (1 Timothy 4:8).

The physical training being showcased in the Olympics this summer has value.

Exhilarating, extraordinary value.

But our training in godliness has value for all things—for our lives now, and for our lives to come.

If we stay rooted and grounded in Christ, our spiritual muscles will never atrophy in old age. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green (Psalm 92:14).

We will continue to run—serving our Lord—until we step into eternity with Him.

Just imagine—the crowd quiets. We have finished the race marked out for us and we are finally, beautifully, wonderfully at the feet of Jesus. He takes our hand and draws us to our feet. We stand before our Lord in humble expectation and receive the crown that will last forever. 

We lift our voice in song—not in a chorus to one specific nation—but in an eternal anthem of praise to the One Who is Forever.

Are we ready?

Our motivation is clear. Our goal is in sight.

Let’s get busy, stay the course, and stick that landing!

 

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord (Romans 12:11).

What’s your favorite Olympic event? (Mine is women’s gymnastics)

Have a blessed week!

Joyfully,

Leigh Ann 🙂