The Olympic games are going on right now and there's been much ink spilled about it. Stars have been praised, controversies raised and attention has been poured upon sports both popular and obscure.
I could spend my time writing about my opinions on chromosomes in boxing or the opening ceremony. I could spend my time as a sports fan penning paragraphs about the amazing men's 100 meter dash final or the incomparable greatness of Katie Ladecky and Simon Biles or why I love FIBA's basketball rules more than the NBA's, but I won't.
The Olympic Games make me long for Heaven.
I first started to have my longing for Heaven stoked by the Olympics in 2012. Paul McCartney performed in the opening ceremony for the London games. During his performance he sang "Hey Jude" and it was so beautiful watching the nations assembled in their own garb singing along passionately, "Na na na nanana nanana, hey Jude."
As much as I love Paul's music and have since sung that song in a choir of thousands at one of his concerts, the longing wasn't for some temporary peace. The longing wasn't for Paul's friend John's version of an imagined, peaceful utopia. I was longing for Heaven.
"Clap you hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared,
a great king over all the earth...
God reigns over the nations;
God sits on His holy throne.
The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is highly exalted!" Psalm 47-1-2 & 8-9
This year as I watch the games I find myself wondering about sport in Heaven. I wonder what it might look to play and compete and try to win and still love each other and have joy for each other in victory or defeat. And I see glimpses of this. While watching gymnastics I have loved watching the excitement the women have had for each other regardless of flag. I have loved seeing them fiercely try their best and not being threatened by the other athletes doing the same. The sportsmanship I have seen gives me a glimpse of Heaven.
Can you imagine what glorified, perfect sportsmanship will look like? Can you imagine perfect enjoyment of one's God-given nationality and perfect enjoyment of everyone else's God-given, perfected culture will look like? Slivers of this in the games helps me do this and helps me cry: Maranantha!
Outside the arenas, pools, courts and fields of Paris, and even within, we see conflict and suffering: War, rumors of war, economic uncertainty, moral confusion, hurricanes, hatred, abuse, depression and all kinds of the effects of evil. The slivers of hope and the broad planks of discouragement give a longing for hope and for a hope that does not disappoint.
The rays of the sun come from the sun. The glimpses of Heaven come from Heaven.
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" Revelation 7:9-10
"Then I saw a new Heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, no pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:1-4
May the glimpses of Heaven wet your palate and may the pain of the world stoke your desire for Heaven today.
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