Go for the Gold

By
Janice K. Olson
I would hazard to say that for two weeks everyone owning a TV, at one time or another, tuned in the Olympics while the games were being played. Every country for four years or even longer have prepared their athletes to become the very best they could be. When the Olympic day rolled around, only the very best athletes were sent to China to compete. There goal. . .WIN THE GOLD!

When I think of the race that is set before me, the training I continue to go through—the mental gymnastics, the foot races, the tug of war, hand-to-hand combat, the leap of faith, etc.—I have to remember I’m in a race for the gold.

While in this race, I don’t want to carry any needless or unnecessary baggage, nor do I want anything to hinder me. If I’m successful, at the end of my race, I will stand before the Judge. He has my name before Him. My score card is in his hand. He will tally my score. If I have persevered and run my very best, if I have stayed to the course marked out for me, I will have won. And for my victory I will receive a crown and all the awards that go along with being a winner.

My motto while I run for Him is. . .GO FOR THE GOLD!

Paul speaks of this very thing. “. . .let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1b NIV

Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are

As a child I loved to play Hide n’ Seek. My grandson to this day still plays the game. I love the hiding part, but wasn’t so keen on the finding. Sometimes, the kids were easy to find, then other times, it would take me forever to locate them.

So many times in our walk with God, we play Hide but not necessarily the Seek part. We hide things in our life even though we are fully aware that God sees and knows all about them. We simply try to forget that He knows.

David became all too conscious that nothing was hidden from God. He speaks about this very thing in Psalm 139:1-16: O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.. . .Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? David continues speaking of how God is and sees and know all about him.

Everywhere we go, anything we do, every word we say, all of it is in full view of God. There is nothing hidden. In those private moments, when no one is around, God is there and sees us. Those times when we speak those words best left unspoken, God hears us. Every one of our actions and deeds do not go unnoticed for God is fully aware of what is taking place, because we cannot flee from His presence. He is everywhere. . .all knowing.

We as Christians need to become deeply aware that God’s Spirit dwells within us, and grieves over us when we do those unseemly things—un-Christ-like things. But He also rejoices over us when we walk upright and strive to live our life in a Christ-like manner.

So we need to remember, when we try to hide those deeds that even we know are wrong, it is impossible. God knows, but He still loves us. However, just as with David, the murderer and adulterer, God wants us to step out of hiding, expose our sins, confess them to Him, then walk uprightly before Him.

Father, as we seek Your face, help us to uncover those unhidden sins. Yes, those sins that You saw the moment we did them. We confess them all and lay them at the feet of Your Son Jesus. Remind us over and again how Your Spirit dwells within us, that He will lead and guide us in the path of truth. Father we love you and we pray this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen