"You don't have to be great to start,
but you have to start to be great.”
~ Zig Ziglar
“The Olympics are for country and team.
You rise to something greater than yourself.”
~ Dr. Jenny Thompson, former Olympic athlete
Krystal Palmer won a bronze medal for the 3-meter individual springboard diving. That is the first medal for the U.S. in that event since 1988. When interviewed, Krystal responded, “I give all the glory to God.”
On her way to the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Tatjana Schoenmaker, from South Africa, posted on Instagram, “Father God, may Your will be done, may Your peace fill us up, may we praise You no matter what the outcome, may we be empowered by Your strength to give our all and may we forever be in awe of Your goodness! Thank you for bringing us to this very moment.” In one of the races, Tatjana set a world record for the women’s 200-meter breaststroke. As she removed her top swim cap, it revealed a white cap underneath with a fish and “Soli Deo Gloria” printed on it.
Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil competed in women’s beach volleyball. When interviewed, they shared that they pray together before each game.
Caeleb Dressel, from the U.S.A., earned 5 Olympic gold medals for swimming events. He is known for being a Christian. Dressel shares that one of his favorite Bible verses is found in Isaiah 40:31, the reason for the eagle tattoo on his arm. “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Dressel sometimes writes scripture references on his face when competing. He recently tweeted, “When you avail yourself of God’s grace and power, your comeback is always greater than your setback.”
Sydney McLaughlin, of the United States, competed in the 400-meter hurdles. McLaughlin broke the world record at the trials, running the event in under 52 seconds. After the race Sydney responded, “I owe it all to God, my family and my team. It’s truly just faith, trusting the process, and seeing my hard work along with the gift of God being put into action. It’s such a breath of fresh air to find true stability in Jesus. The peace of knowing I will always have a friend, always have His support, and always have His LOVE; makes even the loneliest of moments feel full. My soul finds rest in knowing He is not like us. He doesn’t change, and He will never leave me. Giving the ability to be completely content, no matter the situation. Simply because, I don’t have to face it alone. That. Is. Love. Records come and go; the glory of God is eternal. I no longer run for self-recognition, but to reflect His perfect will that is already set in stone. I don’t deserve anything. But by grace, through faith, Jesus has given me everything.”
Hidilyn Diaz, a Philippine weightlifter, has competed in the Olympic games since 2008. The first games she came in second to last. In 2012, Diaz did not finish. Not giving up, Hidilyn earned the silver medal in the 2016 Olympics. During the Tokyo Olympics, Diaz came in first place and won the first ever gold medal for the Philippines!
Nigel Amos, of Botswana, and Isaiah Jewett, of the United States, competed in the 800-meter semifinal. On the final turn, the back of Jewett’s heel seemed to clip Amos’ foot and both men fell down on the track. The men helped each other up and then put their arms around each other. Jewett has a racing rule: Finish. He wanted that for Amos as well. So both men finished the race, crossing the finish line together. After an appeal, Amos was able to run in the finals.
Daniel Jervis, of Great Britain, competed in the men’s 1500-meter freestyle, placing 5th. When interviewed, Daniel stated, “I want to thank my village of Resolven. I want to thank my church, Sardis Baptist Church, [and] Ammanford Church in Ammanford, who have been really supportive of me. Everyone back home has been praying for me. The thing I’m most proud of in my life is that I’m a Christian, and obviously God was with me tonight, and I’m just really grateful to be representing him.”
The Fiji men’s rugby team won the gold medal by defeating the team from New Zealand. After the game, the men knelt on the ground, offered prayers of thanksgiving to God, and sang a hymn of praise. The song includes the words, “We have overcome, by the blood of the lamb, and the word of the Lord, we have overcome.” One player noted, “Whether we win in rugby, or anything else, the most certain thing in the world is what Jesus Christ has done for us, not what we will ever do.”
These past two weeks we have seen athletes compete, boldly share their faith in Jesus, and be quick to give thanks for their families, coaches, and teammates who have helped and encouraged them through the years. Athletes have shown the importance of being prepared to compete at a moment’s notice, to do their best, and to never give up. May we be ready to do the same.
Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.
Psalm 115:1
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.
Philippians 1:27
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
1 Peter 3:15
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9:25
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