olympics

Last second come from behind wins. Triumphs in the midst of tragedy. Winning for your team. Winning for your country. Breaking down in the middle of a race because of injury and deciding to finish anyway. Hearing your national anthem. Watching your flag be raised. Making the impossible happen. Giving everything you have because you spent that last four years training for this moment.

These are the things that I love about the Olympics. I love the athletic competition. I especially love that they are competing for their countries back home rather than just themselves. There is something more pure about sport when you are doing it for your country. National heroes are born at the Olympic games.

I also love that it is a little taste of the Kingdom of God. Regardless of the fighting or disagreements between nations, athletes still come and compete against each other. And remarkably these Olympiads from enemy nations still shake hands after a hard fought race.

All people from all over the globe come together. All the different languages can be heard. Everyone comes with a spirit of good will. This is just a taste of what it will be like when Jesus returns.

Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Everyone, from everywhere will gather. All languages will speak his name. All nations will bow their knee.

The opening ceremonies of the Olympics this year are being named the most visually spectacular in the history of the Olympics. If that is just a foretaste of the Kingdom, imagine what Christ's return will be like.