“Knowing Christ is the best thing that has ever happened to me, although winning the US Open was a pretty good second.”
Source of your strength
You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me’. But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth Deut 8:17,18I was not expecting to find much about sport as I read through Deuteronomy. It is one of the drawbacks about reading the whole Bible – you have to read Deuteronomy. Then it jumped off the page. Of course we know that God is the source of our ability and strength but here it is explicitly and clearly stated.
Who gave Gareth Bale the ability to run past defenders and put in exquisite crosses?
Who give Usain Bolt the gift of overdrive?
Who enabled Roger Federer to have more time to return a 130 mph serve than anyone else?
Who gave Sachin Tendulkar the ability to time a cricket ball to perfection?
God did. The film, Chariots of Fire, records Eric Liddell’s thoughts as he wins his Olympic Gold Medal, ‘God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast and when I run, I feel his pleasure.’ If we are using a talent God has given us, why indeed should we not feel God’s pleasure?
It is a natural human reaction to think it’s all down to me. I am so clever and talented. And in sport without self-belief it is hard to compete successfully at the top level. But as Christians we must always be ready to recognize the source of our ability and give thanks to our creator.