“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.” --John 14:18-19
With the Winter Olympics recently concluded, I am reminded of one of the great Olympic moments from a couple of decades ago. If you followed the Olympics, NBC was using video from this in their promotional spots to capture the Olympic spirit. Derek Redmond, a young British runner, lay on the track at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Moments before he had been a shoo-in to win his semi-final heat in the 400-meter and qualify for the Olympic finals. Now only 175 meters from the finish line, he is sprawled on the ground, holding his right hamstring.
Derek’s father, Jim, seeing his son in trouble, begins to race down from the top row of the stands. He is pushing toward the track. He has no right or credential or permission to be on the track, but all he can think about is getting to his son, to help him up.
On the track, Derek realizes that his dream of an Olympic medal is gone. Tears pour down Derek’s face. But he’s determined to finish. He turns down assistance from the medical crew, lifts himself to his feet, and starts hobbling down the track. One painful step at a time, Derek limps onward, and the fans rise to their feet to cheer him on.
At that moment, Jim Redmond reaches the bottom of the stands, vaults over the railing, dodges a security guard, and runs to his son. Jim reaches his son at the final curve, about 120 meters from the finish line, and wraps his arm around his waist. “I’m here, son,” Jim says gently, hugging his boy, “We’ll finish together.” Together, arm in arm, father and son struggle toward the finish line with 65,000 people cheering, clapping and crying. Just a few steps from the end, with the crowd in an absolute frenzy, Jim releases the grip he has on his son so that Derek can cross the finish line by himself.
That scene of togetherness at the finish line illustrates our relationship with the Holy Spirit. We have never been left to run the race of life alone. Jesus’ presence remains with us in the form of God’s Holy Spirit. “Because I live,” Jesus promises his followers, “you also will live.” The Good News is that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to our bodies through the Spirit that dwells within us (Romans 8:11). No matter what comes our way we can hold tight to the promise that Jesus gives life—life in this world, and life in the world to come.
We belong to Jesus Christ, and his Spirit gives us life. This is Good News for any of us who find ourselves limping toward the finish line of life.
