God's Coaching #51

God's Coaching #51

Short-track speed skating is known for its fast crashes. But no crash is more famous than the one that occurred in the 1,000-meter finals at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Australia’s Steven Bradbury knew he didn’t have much of a chance for the gold medal against Apolo Ohno, Ahn Hyn-Soo, Li Jiajun, and Mathieu Turcotte. Australia had never won a gold medal in the Winter Olympics, and it didn’t look like that would change.

Steven was in last place coming into the final turn—not last place by a hair, but last place by a lot. Apolo and the other three racers powered into the sharp turn. One of them lost control. Suddenly, all four racers in front of Steven skidded across the ice like bowling pins. The Aussie cruised through the wreckage and crossed the finish line first. He threw his arms up, half in celebration and half in disbelief. Steven’s strategy had paid off. He knew he wasn’t the fastest skater. This was his third Olympics, but he had never given up on his golden dreams. His hard work paid off with a big surprise.

What’s the Score?

When God said, “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine” (Haggai 2:8), he was talking about his power over the whole world, not Olympic medals. But the statement still fits. God has control over the whole world. He can see everything that will happen; we can’t. That’s why we need to trust God and to keep pursuing him no matter how bad things look in front of us.

Just as in Steven’s race, sometimes the unexpected happens. No one expected him to win—Steven didn’t expect himself to win! But his faithfulness put him in a position to claim the gold. Don’t give up. Keep going after God and obeying his commands. Be ready to seize the victory whenever it opens up in front of you.

On the Ball

What do you get tired of doing for God? Obeying your parents? Being kind to your brother or sister? Not listening to raunchy popular songs? Don’t give up! Stay committed to living for God and serving him.

Coach’s Comment

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Haggai 2:8