Commonwealth Games

 

The Commonwealth Games that recently concluded in Queensland, on the Gold

Coast, were quite spectacular. In these photos we see the end result of years of effort and determination with the athlete’s minds focused on the final goal to achieve first place in their particular discipline. Of course we rejoice with those Aussies who won 80 Gold, 59 Silver and 59 Bronze medals but our hearts also go out to those of all nations who

failed to achieve the top honours, and we recognise that in representing their countries they were part of what made the games a success as they kept their nations name before millions of people who watched the Television screens and other electronic media worldwide.

Indeed, in life, generally speaking, there are only a small proportion of the

population who actually achieve the top positions and this is how God meant it to be because if we are in an organisation that has “too many Chiefs and not enough Indians” (as the saying goes), we will soon find ourselves in a mess. For example, we could argue that the most important people at the Commonwealth Games were the Organisers, but I challenge that, as in the final analysis I believe that the cleaners and caterers are more important: they get no medals, but without them there would be no medals for anyone and no games either. Bear in mind though, that they only got those jobs by studying to be very efficient at what they do.

What am I driving at here? Well just this: never under-estimate your value to God and the community in which you live. Each one of us was designed especially by God with particular abilities, thus no two of us are identical having our own D.N.A and finger prints etc. (except for identical twins perhaps). Consequently, we all have different positions to fill. The Bible confirms this when it says “We all have gifts differing according to the grace given unto us” this applies to Spiritual gifting of course, which we are supposed to use, but it applies equally to natural gifting too, thus we each are like parts of a Jigsaw Puzzle and, as you know, if one of those parts is missing it spoils the whole picture.  

You will notice that the participants in every discipline carried no excessive weight, wearing only that uniform that was necessary to maintain decency and keep them comfortable whilst competing. For example, you didn’t see anyone competing in the High Jump wearing a coat or heavy boots. The obvious reason being that the extra weight would have prevented them from achieving their best result, so over the years the coaches and organisers have agreed that any form of un-necessary weight should be avoided.

The same principle applies to our Spiritual lives: God never designed the world to be the mess we have made it. Just look at the Syrian problem at the moment: bombings, fighting’s, chemical warfare, etc. and here at home: Jails full of people who have in some way abused others. Jesus came to purchase our forgiveness, and anointed “coaches” like Paul to encourage us to abandon any “left over Baggage” we might be carrying (after we have accepted Christs forgiveness) and be as consistent as those sporting contestants when he says in his letter to the Hebrew Christians in Chapter 12 verse 1: “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” and in verse 14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no person shall see the Lord.”  So just as the games contestants have controlled their diet, sleep, and daily training exercises, we need to control our lives by following New Testament directions on how to behave as Christians in order to be ready for the eternal life Jesus earned for us and be able to say with Paul “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”. (2 Timothy 4:7) Best wishes, Tom.

Part of Closing ceremony