So, there’s been a lot of sport on recently. We’ve had 4 weeks of the World Cup overlapping with 2 weeks of Wimbledon. Ironically, of course, the more sport there is on telly the less exercise I get because I am sat there glued to the screen.
One thing I have noticed over all my years of experience in watching other people run about is that there are two types of celebration that stand out for me. One is the arrogant, I-have-just-done-something-amazing, you-all-wish-you-were- me celebration done by people like Ronaldo and Usain Bolt. Now they are, arguably, the best two athletes the world has ever seen but everyone knows that they would be a nightmare to manage and just super annoying to be acquainted with.
The other is the type of player and celebration is the ones who acknowledge God when they score a goal or win a match. Some of them will point to the heavens, some will cross themselves, some will get on their knees and kiss the ground. The first thing that Djokovic did when he won the Men’s Singles Final at Wimbledon was to raise two hands and point to the sky in obvious acknowledgment of God. Having done this, they then hug their team mates or their coaching staff. They then acknowledge the crowd. The overall sense you have is that these players know how fortunate they are and that they couldn’t be where they are without outside support.
I am always impressed with these athletes. Despite having the world’s praise lavished upon them, despite having millions of dollars thrown at them, despite achieving the most celebrated prizes that everybody else can only dream about, they have the conviction to remember a higher power even though they have just achieved an incredible personal goal.
When talking about our relationship with God we tend to focus on how we should rely on God when we are at rock bottom. How we should stay strong and keep the faith when things are going badly. Maybe we don’t often focus on what our relationship with God should be if and when we are at the top of our game, when everything’s going better than expected.
In Luke 17: 11-19 we have the ten lepers and only one came back praising God in a loud voice.
We can be that one leper. Being a follower of Christ does not make us physically any better than anyone else but our attitude to life is changed because we know what we used to be. We also know what we would still be were it not for Jesus Christ and his sacrifice.
Whatever situation in life we are in, whether we are riding high and all things are going great or we feel low and despondent that life is not working out. We all have one thing to be grateful for and that is that we have been called to be children of God.
James 5:13...Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
Psa 34:1-4 I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of his glories and grace. I will boast of all his kindness to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. Let us praise the Lord together and exalt his name. For I cried to him and he answered me! He freed me from all my fears.