General News
22 August, 2024
Silver medalist Nicola Olyslagers' relationship with God | You + The Church
Olympian Olyslagers said she senses God with her when jumping.
During the Paris Olympics, one athlete in particular caught my attention because she looked so palpably joyous while competing.
Nicola Olyslagers represented Australia in high jump winning a silver medal.
She had an unusual pre-jump routine of raising her arms as if in worship and talking or singing before each jump.
I later learnt Nicola is a Christian.
She told reporters that she senses God with her when she is jumping.
Nicola's account reminded me of the film 'Chariots of Fire' where the Scottish runner Eric Liddel says: "when I run, I feel God's pleasure".
Eric found it necessary to explain why he was pursuing his aspirations to be an Olympian before committing to a life of service to God as a missionary.
As I have matured in faith so has my understanding of Jesus' words in Mark 12:30: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."
Formerly I understood this to mean that I was pleasing God if I spent all my time trying to think about and work at overt ministry or worship activities.
It was an onerous and joyless understanding of what a relationship with God is like.
I now understand our relationship is far more reciprocal.
There are certainly times of sacrifice, service and that we don't particularly enjoy, and the focus is always on giving God the glory and love he is due, but God is also pleased to meet us in temporal activities where we can experience his presence and pleasure.
For me, I commune with God in water, ideally the sea, but baths, hot springs, pools, the river, I'll take water in any form.
I enjoy it, I sense God's pleasure and our relationship deepens.
What is your equivalent activity? Where today can you meet God and experience his pleasure?