Thought for the week (we 9th Feb 2014)

With over eighty nations and an estimated 2500 athletes ready to go – the Winter Olympics begin in Sochi Russia this week.

Along with the summer games, worldwide TV coverage has enabled us all to be spectators and to will our teams and individuals on to the medal podium. It’s now thirty years since Jayne Torvill Christopher Dean won the gold medal in the Sarajevo Olympics for their ‘Bolero’. – and the across the board top score of ‘6’ which remains one of the most memorable Olympic triumphs ever.

That same standard of excellence remains at the heart of the games for all who will take part and with years of preparation and training there will be everything to play for. The opening ceremony on Friday will mark the beginnings of those hopes and dreams – and what a feast of sport for the rest of us!

The Bible speaks much of those who ran the race of faith. Moses was aware of his inadequacy when the call came to challenge Pharaoh to release his people who for four hundred years had been held in slavery. The boy Samuel heard God’s call in the darkness of the night when the nation was at an all time low. They and many others like them lived and acted by faith and despite their weakness were faithful to the vision that God gave to them.

It’s the same for us. Our faith may be as small as a mustard seed with all sorts of doubts and uncertainties. It follows then that we need to increase our faith. We do this by prayer and worship as God reveals more of his love and purpose for our lives. Jesus invites us not so much to a race but rather a pilgrimage.

Then with all who have lived by faith we too will gain the greatest prize – life in its fullness both now and for eternity.