Imagine yourself competing in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. The event is the 800 meter final in track and field. You’re competing for your country and it has yet to win its first gold medal.
You just got married. You’ve been on your honeymoon. The 800 meters isn’t even your event. You normally run the 1500 meters which requires a completely different approach to training and preparation.
This is the story of American Olympic athlete, Dave Wottle. He doesn’t even look like a runner. Wearing a painter’s cap (which they don’t allow in the Olympics anymore for any race under a marathon), it looks like he’s not even taking the race seriously. He looks more pathetic, like he shouldn’t even be there!
When the starting gun fires, Dave is the last one out of the blocks. He runs like he looks injured. It’s a pitiful start that seems to only get worse as the pack leaves him in last place, widening its lead with no hope of him being able to catch up.
Yet on this Saturday, September 2 in 1972, he stuns the world with one of the greatest “come back” performances in Olympic history.
Take a look below:
It’s a new year and maybe you’re not off to your greatest start. Don’t be discouraged!
In the first book of the Bible, while it looks like Adam and Eve get off to a great start in life, in their relationship with God and their marriage, by the third chapter of Genesis they take a major stumble. It’s a huge mistake that would not only impact their lives, but also the rest of humanity.
Together, they eat of the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3). Sometimes when people recount the story, it seems like Eve always gets thrown under the bus. But in actuality, while the serpent deceived Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, Adam eating with her, knew it was wrong!! And it would cost them not only a life that would lead to physical death, but also spiritual death which is eternal separation from God.
Whatever great start they had at the beginning of their human journey went all wrong the moment Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit.
The Good News is that it was here where God reveals He already made provision for their sin. Through sacrifice—a sacrifice that would foreshadow the greater sacrifice to come through Christ—the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and Eve to cover their guilt and shame (Genesis 3:21).
It was part of God’s plan to have this provision for sin in place before the foundation of the world. WHY? Because God created us to have a relationship with Him—a relationship in which He could express His love towards us.
A relationship with humanity was, and still is God’s desire!!
The Apostle Paul shares with the believers in the church in Ephesus that . . .
“He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love.”
Ephesians 1:4 NRSV
Before the foundation of the world, we were chosen in Christ to have a relationship with God. This truth offers us hope with the promise of blessing in the middle of whatever circumstance we may be facing today.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve had a bad start to 2021, or in life. Your bad start doesn’t have to define what you will become. The promise of God’s blessing through Christ—to all who would put their trust in Him—is what enables us to get back up, keep going and leave the results with God.
Here’s a SIMPLE TIP:
Run your race with God’s purpose for your life in mind by (1) Putting your trust in Christ; (2) being yourself; (3) and being consistent.
Don’t worry if you don’t look like a runner or if it seems like you have gotten off to a bad start. When you commit your life to running the race for Christ, you can trust God to help you finish well and bring about the result for His greatest glory!!
Article Postscript:
If you feel led, encourage someone else by sharing this article, or perhaps another article that was an encouragement to you. This one action could be a real game-changer in their life. With God, all things are possible!!