Hopefully you have been enjoying the 2024 Olympics in its full glory. I was amazed and bowled over by the opening on Sunday. The French are so artistic and dramatic. They have truly placed a high bar for Los Angeles and the 2028 Olympic opening ceremonies.
What captured my attention on the opening night, with the parade of countries and their participating athletes, was the extreme joy I saw on all their faces. They were truly jubilant. I thought to myself, “Surely the road to getting to that moment had to be filled with not only hard work and dedication, but also many, many defeats and setbacks. Yet, here they were with bright beaming faces, getting soaked in the rain, and still they were ecstatic to be where they were. I wanted to salute each and every one of them for all it must have taken to arrive at this moment.
As I watched the parade of athletes, two countries really stood out to me: Ukraine and Palestine. It was actually beyond my comprehension that all these two countries are going through in this moment, they were able to send teams and individuals to compete in the games. How do you get ready for this kind of competition when your homeland is being pummeled night and day with gruesome warfare? How do you have the mental and physical dedication to your sport, when so many have lost their lives, or been maimed and had their lives altered irrevocably? Yet, here they were in all their wide-eyed hope, representing not only their country, but the best of who all people can be. I can’t even express in words how this touched me and filled me.
When it happened, it was a moment like no other. Olga Kharlan of Ukraine won a bronze medal for her country, but as USA Today put it, “Make no mistake about it, it was a golden moment.” In the match, Kharlan was losing to her opponent in a very decisive way, she was behind 12-7. The crowd cheered louder and louder, calling out her name, encouraging, lending their support, supplying hope for her. When she was declared the winner with her clinching point, she dropped to her knees and sobbed. Kharlan is a five-time Olympian, and has scored other medals including: a gold, a silver and two other bronze ones. She said, this medal, from these Olympics is different. Again, as USA Today reports, “‘All the sacrifices, all the tragic moments,” she said, referring to 21/2 years of war. ‘Its special because it’s for my country.’”
Each of us go through triumphs and tragedies every day. Where do we get the hope, the encouragement, the perseverance from? I only know of one place, it comes from the One who makes each of us, as Paul would say, more than conquerors. Ukraine has been through so much in these last few years. They have struggled and suffered under the spectre of war and all that brings. Every woman, every man, every person is a soldier fighting for the life and liberty of their homeland. Against an extremely powerful and ruthless invader, they fight on. They sacrifice daily, they suffer daily, they cry daily, and yet they fight on.
In Romans 8:31-39, Paul tells us…”What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” [a] 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Each of us go through so much in our lives. We may look around and see others who seemingly have escaped from life’s difficulties. The truth is, we have no idea what each of us have to contend with. Outward appearances are merely that, simply appearances. Each of us struggle with all sorts of things that threaten to do us in, to sink us, to suck the very life out of us. Somehow, we keep going. Somehow, as we get knocked down, we make it back on to our feet. Somehow, when all seems lost and in vain, we get one more breath, one more burst of energy, one more glimmer of hope. Our God is in the business of picking us up, dusting us off, and setting us back on the road to ultimate victory.
So no matter what you or I may be going through today, we have to remember we serve a God who cheers us on and is ready to stand beside us in every contest, every storm, every crisis, every tragedy. God will not allow us to be separated from God’s love and hope. When life knocks us down, we get back up knowing God is for us, and that right there equates to more than the whole world against us. I’m a conqueror, you’re a conqueror, and because we are, we should stand ready to cheer on, support, encourage and uplift those we find who have fallen and need us to help pick them up.
I pray whatever you are going through right now, you can feel God’s love surrounding you and standing with you. Go on, you’re more than a conqueror. Say it, mean it, and believe it!
Your companion on the Way,
Pastor Tom