Just Enjoying
Just Enjoying
There is nothing inherently spiritual about this particular blog. I simply wanted to share with you something that I am experiencing. I am having trouble figuring out exactly why I am feeling like I am but they are my feelings and you are not allowed to judge or criticize them (a lot of I’s there and that last part was said tongue and cheek or is it tongue in cheek?). It is tongue in cheek, just looked it up on the interweb and that thing is always correct.
I know that the Olympic’s got off to a rough start. Nothing like spitting in the face of a group of your viewers to get the ball rolling. But that was the creative directors of the Olympics and not the athletes. While, at times, I find watching the Olympics very frustrating because there is little showing of the games and more about the back stories of the athletes, once the games get rolling, I do enjoy watching the athletes compete. Four years, or more, of work and effort that go into the few moments they have to compete. I grew up watching Wide World of Sports and their introduction always comes to my mind, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”. All of it boils down to those few moments.
What has particularly moved me this year, and I am not sure why, are the amazingly joyous celebrations of some of the athletes when they realize they have received the bronze medal. You know that they compete to win the gold but their joy at being on the medal stand with a bronze has moved me. It has been driven into us that there is first place and then first loser. Even the Bible recognizes this mentality we have, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” To see the real joy at receiving the bronze medal has been tremendously refreshing to me. One great example of this, for me, was when Jordan Chiles thought she came in fourth and upon appeal was moved into third place. The amazing joyful celebration and the interview afterwards displayed her great sense of accomplishment. All of that was contrasted by the one who thought she received third, only to have it snatched away from her. Her agony at not receiving a medal was real and raw. All of this was for third place.
I don’t know why I am meditating on this so much. You may think me weird. I am not an elite athlete. Never have been. In fact, not to be self deprecating, but I have never been elite at anything. I am pretty average at most things and probably below average at a bunch of other things. Now, if I worked really hard and totally dedicated myself...I still don’t think I would be number one in the world at anything. But could I medal? Now that is interesting. Could I receive as much joy in looking at a bronze medal my whole life or would I sit there thinking about the greater joy of the one who won gold? Almost good enough. Man, I am messed up.
I guess that is why I am so peaceful knowing that because of Jesus, because of the Holy Spirit who lives in me, one day I will receive the prize. Not because of who I am or what I am able to do, but because of who He is and what He has done. I will, one day, because of Him receive the greatest prize ever. Look at that, this was a spiritual journey after all. In this world I am not the most gifted. I am with the 70,000 in the stands cheering those few who are elite. But, with Jesus, I will walk on streets of goal and will rejoice in the greatest prize ever...Jesus.
There is nothing inherently spiritual about this particular blog. I simply wanted to share with you something that I am experiencing. I am having trouble figuring out exactly why I am feeling like I am but they are my feelings and you are not allowed to judge or criticize them (a lot of I’s there and that last part was said tongue and cheek or is it tongue in cheek?). It is tongue in cheek, just looked it up on the interweb and that thing is always correct.
I know that the Olympic’s got off to a rough start. Nothing like spitting in the face of a group of your viewers to get the ball rolling. But that was the creative directors of the Olympics and not the athletes. While, at times, I find watching the Olympics very frustrating because there is little showing of the games and more about the back stories of the athletes, once the games get rolling, I do enjoy watching the athletes compete. Four years, or more, of work and effort that go into the few moments they have to compete. I grew up watching Wide World of Sports and their introduction always comes to my mind, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”. All of it boils down to those few moments.
What has particularly moved me this year, and I am not sure why, are the amazingly joyous celebrations of some of the athletes when they realize they have received the bronze medal. You know that they compete to win the gold but their joy at being on the medal stand with a bronze has moved me. It has been driven into us that there is first place and then first loser. Even the Bible recognizes this mentality we have, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” To see the real joy at receiving the bronze medal has been tremendously refreshing to me. One great example of this, for me, was when Jordan Chiles thought she came in fourth and upon appeal was moved into third place. The amazing joyful celebration and the interview afterwards displayed her great sense of accomplishment. All of that was contrasted by the one who thought she received third, only to have it snatched away from her. Her agony at not receiving a medal was real and raw. All of this was for third place.
I don’t know why I am meditating on this so much. You may think me weird. I am not an elite athlete. Never have been. In fact, not to be self deprecating, but I have never been elite at anything. I am pretty average at most things and probably below average at a bunch of other things. Now, if I worked really hard and totally dedicated myself...I still don’t think I would be number one in the world at anything. But could I medal? Now that is interesting. Could I receive as much joy in looking at a bronze medal my whole life or would I sit there thinking about the greater joy of the one who won gold? Almost good enough. Man, I am messed up.
I guess that is why I am so peaceful knowing that because of Jesus, because of the Holy Spirit who lives in me, one day I will receive the prize. Not because of who I am or what I am able to do, but because of who He is and what He has done. I will, one day, because of Him receive the greatest prize ever. Look at that, this was a spiritual journey after all. In this world I am not the most gifted. I am with the 70,000 in the stands cheering those few who are elite. But, with Jesus, I will walk on streets of goal and will rejoice in the greatest prize ever...Jesus.
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