About the Sport principle
Late at night, while watching the triathlon at the recent Tokyo Olympics, I was struck by the commentator stating that the 4th event in addition to the swimming, cycling and running was the transition. A good transition can be the difference between gold and silver or missing out on a medal altogether.
Application to Life
Nobody likes change, but it’s the transition that does you in. Our Olympic hosts this time, the Japanese, recognise 6 seasons instead of the usual 4, partly because they recognise the ‘seasons between seasons,’ the transitions, as one season changes to another. In our country, it’s true that elderly people rarely die from the cold in the depths of winter. It’s then that they are ready with the central heating on and warm clothes etc. Tragically though, deaths do occur, often when the weather suddenly takes an unexpected turn for the worse, and people are not ready. And if you don’t take control of the transition in your life, it will kill you!
I am defining transition today as the mind’s internal ‘catching up’ with the external physical change that has already taken place. And if you’re not yet on board with me that this is possible, look at the institution of marriage: I’ve known too many men over the years, who have made the external, physical change from being single to being married, but have failed to make the internal transition into that married mindset and still live as though they are single: They still play video games into the small hours, leave wet towels on the bathroom floor and plan their social lives without consulting their new wives. Perhaps you know these men too. I rest my case.
We can be extremely grateful that in our ever-changing world, where we are constantly required to make transitions, some things never change: In James 1:17, we’re clearly told that God, who is described as ‘the Father of heavenly lights,’ I love that description of God, “does not change like shifting shadows.” And We know from Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! But there is one thing in our world that changes everything: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ! When we consider Jesus as a healer, friend, priest, prophet, teacher etc., we can either admire him or ignore him, but Jesus as Resurrected Lord can only be accepted or rejected. All the evidence points to the Resurrection being a reality. Not one of the hundreds of witnesses to the Resurrection recanted on their deathbeds and said they were making it all up, and many of them met horrific martyrs’ deaths. Certainly, that was true of 10 of the remaining 11 of the original Apostles after Judas had committed suicide. Only John, the beloved disciple, died of old age. Generally, people are not prepared to die for a lie! This one mother of all changes has already happened: Christ rose from the dead, and beat sin and death once and for all! The only question is will we make the required internal transition of the heart to catch ourselves up internally, in our minds and souls, with that eternity changing event?
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8
Image Credit: Diego PH
