Going for the Gold!
Posted by: kim
For 17 days, our TVs were tuned to the XXI Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada. The Games took us on an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end -- from the elaborate Opening Ceremony with the unfortunate technical glitch to the comical parody of the blunder at the Closing Ceremony. From the tragic death of Georgian Luger Nodar Kumaritashvili to the emotionally-charged gold medal Hockey game finish in overtime. From the sudden death of the mother of figure skater Joannie Rochette to her triumphant, poignant bronze-medal finish. I’m not sure there has been an Olympics as exuberant and heartfelt as this one.
And we loved every bit of it. We are a people of intensity…of competition…of passion. It’s in our nature.
Olympics date back to ancient Greece when they enjoyed two great athletic competitions: the Olympic Games and the Isthmian Games (held on the Isthmus of Corinth.) This is why Paul, when talking to the Corinthians, compared living the Christian life to running to win:
As Paul talked, they “got it.” They also could relate to the BIG MOMENT the athletes faced as they awaited the results of the judge. They stood before the bema, which is Greek for “judgment seat.” It was the podium where judges sat to determine the winners and hand out the awards. So Paul continued…
Paul says that the Christian life is an Olympic event. One day each of us will stand before God’s “bema.” This is not the judgment seat which determines whether we’re going to heaven; that was a done deal when we placed our trust in Christ. This judgment seat (maybe more of an awards stand in today’s English) is for believers only. It will be when we’ll stand before Christ to give an account of how we lived our lives…the ways we served Christ. Then what? Christ will hand out our rewards…but these will last forever!
---The law of gravity says no fair jumping up without coming back down.
---A census taker is a man who goes from house to house increasing the population.
---The spinal column is a long bunch of bones. The head sits on the top, and you sit on the bottom.
---You can listen to thunder and tell how close you came to getting hit. If you don’t hear it, you got hit, so never mind.
---Someday, we may discover how to make magnets that can point in any direction.
---There is a tremendous weight pushing down on the center of the Earth because so many people are stomping around up there these days.
---Vacuums are nothings. We only mention them to let them know we know they’re there.
---The cause of perfume disappearing is evaporation. Evaporation gets blamed for losing a lot of things people forget to put the top on.
---I’m not sure how clouds are formed, but clouds know how to do it, and that’s the important thing.
---Water vapor gets together in a cloud. When it is big enough to be called a drop, it does.
A praise! A pastor in India issues his deeply felt gratitude to those of you where were praying for his Jesus Gospel Ministry. They conducted “Medical Camp” at Rustumbada village and were able to minister to many people in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Please continue to pray for, Sophia, a junior at Georgetown University. It has been 4 months since she became tragically sick. She now resides in a rehab setting. Sophia’s progress has halted, expenses for her care are building, and her family is becoming weary and drained. As she is essentially non-communicative, her parents are planning for her long-term care. Her brother, a high school senior, is really struggling. Please pray for Sophia and her family—for her recovery according to His will, and for God’s grace to be felt in a powerful way, giving her family the strength to handle what lies ahead.
May we pray for you? Please tell us HERE.
Facebook
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Train hard. Run to win. It takes self-discipline, single-minded focus, and perseverance. It’s all or nothing. There’s no middle ground. And one day you and I will stand before the “bema,” the judgment seat of God…and He will smile…
How is your Olympic training going? Are you going for the gold?
Relying on Him,
Ms. Kim
www.walkontheedge.org
Join us in the Forums: Which moment of the XXI Winter Olympics was your favorite?
And we loved every bit of it. We are a people of intensity…of competition…of passion. It’s in our nature.
Olympics date back to ancient Greece when they enjoyed two great athletic competitions: the Olympic Games and the Isthmian Games (held on the Isthmus of Corinth.) This is why Paul, when talking to the Corinthians, compared living the Christian life to running to win:
“Run to win. All good athletes train hard.
They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades.
You're after one that's gold eternally.”
(1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades.
You're after one that's gold eternally.”
(1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
As Paul talked, they “got it.” They also could relate to the BIG MOMENT the athletes faced as they awaited the results of the judge. They stood before the bema, which is Greek for “judgment seat.” It was the podium where judges sat to determine the winners and hand out the awards. So Paul continued…
We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
that each one may receive what is due him for the things done
while in the body, whether good or bad.
(2 Corinthians 5:10)
that each one may receive what is due him for the things done
while in the body, whether good or bad.
(2 Corinthians 5:10)
Paul says that the Christian life is an Olympic event. One day each of us will stand before God’s “bema.” This is not the judgment seat which determines whether we’re going to heaven; that was a done deal when we placed our trust in Christ. This judgment seat (maybe more of an awards stand in today’s English) is for believers only. It will be when we’ll stand before Christ to give an account of how we lived our lives…the ways we served Christ. Then what? Christ will hand out our rewards…but these will last forever!
Humor
Excerpts from tests of Fifth and Sixth graders:
---The law of gravity says no fair jumping up without coming back down.
---A census taker is a man who goes from house to house increasing the population.
---The spinal column is a long bunch of bones. The head sits on the top, and you sit on the bottom.
---You can listen to thunder and tell how close you came to getting hit. If you don’t hear it, you got hit, so never mind.
---Someday, we may discover how to make magnets that can point in any direction.
---There is a tremendous weight pushing down on the center of the Earth because so many people are stomping around up there these days.
---Vacuums are nothings. We only mention them to let them know we know they’re there.
---The cause of perfume disappearing is evaporation. Evaporation gets blamed for losing a lot of things people forget to put the top on.
---I’m not sure how clouds are formed, but clouds know how to do it, and that’s the important thing.
---Water vapor gets together in a cloud. When it is big enough to be called a drop, it does.
Praise and Prayer
When a believing person prays, great things happen. (James 5:16b, NCV)
A praise! A pastor in India issues his deeply felt gratitude to those of you where were praying for his Jesus Gospel Ministry. They conducted “Medical Camp” at Rustumbada village and were able to minister to many people in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Please continue to pray for, Sophia, a junior at Georgetown University. It has been 4 months since she became tragically sick. She now resides in a rehab setting. Sophia’s progress has halted, expenses for her care are building, and her family is becoming weary and drained. As she is essentially non-communicative, her parents are planning for her long-term care. Her brother, a high school senior, is really struggling. Please pray for Sophia and her family—for her recovery according to His will, and for God’s grace to be felt in a powerful way, giving her family the strength to handle what lies ahead.
May we pray for you? Please tell us HERE.
Join us on facebook.
Closing Thoughts
Train hard. Run to win. It takes self-discipline, single-minded focus, and perseverance. It’s all or nothing. There’s no middle ground. And one day you and I will stand before the “bema,” the judgment seat of God…and He will smile…
How is your Olympic training going? Are you going for the gold?
Relying on Him,
Ms. Kim
www.walkontheedge.org
Join us in the Forums: Which moment of the XXI Winter Olympics was your favorite?