Article by Cameron Spink

 

It seems inconceivable that James Magnussen lost. He was odds-on favourite to win it. Surely out of all our athletes he was the man to stand up and stem the gold medal drought. Unfortunately he ran second to an impressive Nathan Adrian. This is the second big blow for Magnussen as his 4 x 100m swimming team failed to gain a position on the podium the other day.

 

The London Olympics haven't just been disappointing for Magnussen they have been disappointing for the Australian team as a whole. As a sporting nation one gold in five days is damning. This tally may be turned around but it doesn't look like we are going to match the last three Olympics. Of course, it does seem a bit short-sighted to be merely concentrating upon gold. Indeed our solitary gold was won by a group of swimmer's who were not expected to feature. A growing list of silvers is nothing to be sneezed at either.

 

 

One has to wonder whether we are missing something as a nation. Whether our expectations are too high? Our ego too bloated? China has finally got its act together and is leaving all other countries in its wake. Considering their vast population and their desire to outdo the United States (even if such a desire is never acknowledged) mean that they will have a monopoly on the Olympics for some time to come. So us Aussies better get comfortable further down the medal tally because the medals that came our way in Athens and Beijing will not be as readily available as they were (not to disrespect any previous victories).

 

Expectations are fickle things. By human standards something may seem a sure thing. Black Caviar (in what is becoming increasingly likely her last run) was the unbackable favourite to win at Royal Ascot. Yet a jockey error almost resulted in the great mare losing her first race. In the same way the Australian swimmers were expected to dominate the pool (as we have done in recent years) yet many times we over the past few days we have had to settle for "first loser". Of course comparing our disappointment to those individuals over there competing is unfair. These athletes have trained most of their lives for these opportunities (and many won't be there come next Olympics). This is their ultimate prize.

 

Yet it is not THE ultimate prize. The successes that we experience as humans is incomparable to the glory we receive in salvation. It is not something we have trained for, it is not something that we expect to obtain. In fact, it is completely out of our hands. It is almost like we have dived into the swimming pool only to realise that we have no ability to swim on our own. So we are slowly drowning, many of us oblivious to the fact that we may be taking some of our last breaths.

 

Many athletes (and some supporters) treat an occasion like the Olympics as life-or-death. This is ridiculous. Life will continue for James Magnussen and Emily Seebohm. What is defining in the eyes of humanity is insignificant to the eyes that matter. Paul is very conscious of this confusion:

 

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)

 

What a contrast this is to the mindset of some of the Australian athletes! Our expectations are met, every time, not because we have earned them but because our reliance is not on our own ingenuity or training but on a God who does not fail in His promises. Yet Paul also leaves us with a challenge. We are not already perfect but it is what we strive for. Not in vain, not so we can miss by a few millimetres but with an expectation that goes beyond backing the short-priced favourite. The elements, the sleepless nights, the individual's mood cannot disrupt our champion from winning. You see, He has already won. So we needn't be concerned with mere human opinion and speculation. He reigns victorious.

 

The Olympics are a chance for people to shine. Where combatants hunger for individual glory. We look at these people as if they were gods doing things that we mere mortals could only dream of. Yet their achievements are so meaningless by comparison, both for them individually and for Australia as a nation:

"So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.

I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.

Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 (ESV)

 

Our man-made goals, our schemes and plans, even our good intentions are subject to being remodelled at a moment's notice. We believe that we are in control of our own destiny. Many people are aware of the Olympic exploits of Eric Liddell as recorded in the Academy Award Winning movie Chariots of Fire (with artistic licence, of course). What is not so know are the acts of bravery by Liddell in Japanese-occupied China. His actions on many occasions placed him in grave danger but he realised how important God's plan is for us. This man was a celebrity. He had broken the 400m record (which then stood for 12 yrs) despite having only trained for the 100m. Such a feat is truly phenomenal, but not life-defining. Eric Liddell knew that God's expectations on his life were far more important than any man could dream up.

 

We are not defined by feats of athletic prowess or by how others perceive us. Even at our best we can be beaten. What is encouraging is that we are defined by something more tangible and faithful. We are not striving in vain. We are the greatest winners in front of the ultimate Judge.