Olympic Reflections

By Ephesus

The Olympics are over and life is “back to normal” again. No more line-ups, no more ziplining over Robson Square, and no more cranberry-filled Olympic rings. The Vancouver Olympics was filled with nervousness, anticipation, and patriotic pride. Each of us have definitely been affected in one way or another.

Since my workplace is in Downtown Vancouver, I witnessed many different changes that would not have taken place if Vancouver was not the host city. Telephone poles covered with flamboyant advertisements were scraped clean, and the potholes in the road were duly filled up. My company suggested flexible hours to combat the massive crowds that poured in from all over the world. Steps were taken by all institutions both private and public to make the Games one to remember.

Why do people take such pains for the Olympics? Each of us likely has a different answer to this question, but it leads me to think of another question: How many of us Christians are actually looking forward to the greatest Event in our lives? In the Gospels, Jesus said that His coming will be quiet and secretive, only the prepared will be ready for it (Matthew 26:36-41). Are we ready for this biggest moment of our lives?

The Winter Olympics has allowed me to observe two separate but related reflections, in regards to the return of Christ. The first observation is the vast amount of energy and money spent to prepare for the Games. It measures in the millions of dollars and years of time expended, a tremendous undertaking, requiring the involvement of an entire city. For the spectators, it may only be four years of waiting, but for the athletes, it is a lifetime of pain and toil to achieve success. The efforts expended to build new venues and coordinate staff and volunteers are massive. Just seeing how all these resources are poured into this one single two-week event took me aback. If people spend so much time and effort to transform a city into a suitable venue for the world, how much are we reflecting on the spiritual reconstruction in our lives? How far are we in the process of reforming our spiritual lives to reflect the likeness of our Creator?

On the other hand, this vast renovation of Vancouver shows us the opposite extreme of the need to reform genuinely our inner self into Christlike disciples. Oftentimes, we aim to cover up our lives with lies and excuses. We enjoy showing others our best front and cautiously hide all the dark details in the closet. Undoubtedly, the streets of Downtown Vancouver will return to what it used to be: graffiti will appear back on the walls and numerous ads will find their way back on the telephone poles. Christians need to deny continually our sinful natures and submit under the authority of Christ everyday. Not only do we need to prepare daily for God to lead us, but we also need to allow Him to dig deep into our sin-filled lives to make us whole again. Jesus said that anyone who wants to follow him must deny himself and that act of denying oneself is lifelong (Matthew 16:24-25).

The way of life introduced by Jesus is complete death to self and absolute submission to God. Salvation is not just a ticket to heaven; salvation is being saved completely from sin and entering fully into a resurrected, renewed life that is found only in Christ. Are we preparing ourselves for the return of our Lord and King as we walk through life? Are we immersing ourselves deeply and profoundly in God’s Word to support our spiritual growth? Are we opening our ears to the Spirit’s call to wherever and however He bids us? It is those who persevere under the Spirit’s guidance and constantly remind themselves of Christ’s death and resurrected life who will inherit a victorious, abundant spiritual life.

As Christians living in a morally degraded world, it is imperative that God’s truth is integrated in our lives. Jesus says that only the foundation built on the Rock of Christ is able to sustain life’s troubles and tribulations (Luke 6:46-49). The prophet Ezekiel foretold the coming of Christ, in which the Law will be written on hearts of flesh—the integration of God’s truth into our very core (Ezekiel 11:19-20). Are we intent on just doing a superficial renovation of our lives to please ourselves, or are we willing to allow God’s Word and His Spirit to transform profoundly us into His likeness? The Olympics remind us of the importance of following Jesus faithfully in perseverance and faith. May we seek to be transformed and renewed by the grace and power of our Lord Jesus Christ.