Beyond Gold

by Jonathan E. When Jonathan Edwards stepped up to the starting point for the triple jump at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the pressure was on. Headlines had questioned his ability to repeat the phenomenal achievements of the previous year. A faith worth more than gold One thought kept him calm. A few days earlier, God had spoken to him through the words of the apostle Peter: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.�? (1 Peter 1:6-7; NIV) Could faith have a greater worth than gold? God had spoken straight to his athlete’s heart. “When I felt pressure to achieve, God impressed upon me that the faith I had was of much more worth than gold, and that it would result in acceptance when Jesus Christ is revealed,�? said Jonathan. “God reminded me that my relationship through Christ was more important than any human accomplishment.�? The only guarantee He took home a bronze medal that year, but his faith had been tested and it shone as gold. Jonathan knew that his significance as a person did not depend on his performance, but on a dynamic, intimate relationship with the living God. Jonathan went on to win a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics and he gave God all the glory for this. “One of the lessons I have learned is that from a human perspective, in terms of achievement, there are no guarantees,�? said Jonathan. “I had no guarantee that I would win the Olympics. There is only one thing you can be sure of and that is God. To put your trust in anything else is foolhardy. A relationship with God through Jesus Christ is the only guarantee.�?

Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

Living with hope If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

Is this the life for you?

If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

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Next Steps: Experience the Power to change for yourself! Decide. Was Jesus a liar? A lunatic? God? Read frequently asked questions and answers Ask us a questionFurther Reading: Steeped in a performance ethic The Heart of an Olympian Beyond the Brass Ring