About the Sport Principle<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In these days of sky-high expectations from the British public following three hugely successful Olympic Games from our athletes, and where there is more government money through agencies like Sport England funding sport than ever before, the podium performance (or elite performance) contract has become increasingly popular. The idea is that if a publicly funded body, using taxpayers\u2019 money, is going to finance an individual or team to represent team GB, then they, and we as the public, have a right to expect them to deliver. They need to be accountable. Often a contract is drawn up that states simply what the minimum expectations are of both the elite athlete and the elite coaching staff. Both parties sign the contract and it is taken very seriously. The end result, of course, should be that the player will be standing on the medals podium at the next Olympic games. It does what it says on the tin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Application to Life<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God was the first to invent the podium performance contract. The Bible word for this is \u2018Covenant.\u2019 A Covenant is an agreement or a promise, or a contract, always made between God and His people, usually through one individual: an \u2018Abraham,\u2019 a \u2018Moses\u2019 or a \u2018Noah\u2019 etc. God has His part to keep: The provision of the promised land, numerous descendants, the rainbow in the sky as a statement that the whole earth will never be flooded again etc., and the people have their part of the deal to keep: obedience to God\u2019s Law as an example to the nations, circumcision of all male children on the 8th<\/sup> day after birth as a sign of the Covenant, etc. The main difference between these Covenants and a standard contract of the sort you might have with your mobile phone company of course, is that the Biblical Covenants were initiated by God in love. (You sign your phone contract, or any other for that matter, because they give you the best deal \u2013 a very different reason!) God\u2019s Biblical podium performance contracts, or Covenants, if you will, culminated with the mother of all contracts \u2013 the New Covenant, sealed in Jesus\u2019 blood, as He died on the Cross for us, and then rose again, beating sin and death forever, wow! God has done His part. It\u2019s now over to us to keep our side of the bargain: And our side of the deal today is pretty similar to what it was for the Jews as they wandered through the wilderness under Moses\u2019 leadership all those centuries ago. Our job today, as theirs then, can be summarised in one word: Obedience. We are simply required to be obedient to Jesus. And amazingly, having done everything necessary and more by sending Jesus to die for us, God, even then, doesn\u2019t leave us alone, but rather sends His Holy Spirit to help us live out that obedience in our lives. Thank God He does because we simply couldn\u2019t do it by ourselves, especially when we consider some of the outrageous demands Jesus makes. Not only: \u201cDo not murder\u201d as the old covenant said, but now, being angry with your brother is like you\u2019ve murdered him in your heart! Not only the old covenant: \u201cDo not commit adultery,\u201d but now, if you even think it, that\u2019s just as bad! This really is an elite performance contract. Let us redouble our efforts today to live as men of God\u2019s New Testament Covenant in His strength, so that on that day we can hold our heads high on the podium of God\u2019s grace, having qualified for that greatest prize of all: Eternity with God Himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Genesis 17:7<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Image credit: Cytonn Photography via Unsplash<\/p>\n