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| http://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/585454/Lutalo-Muhammad-claims-taekwondo-bronze-for-Great-Britain-in-Baku |
‘Devastated Muhammad breaks down in interview.
Lutalo Muhammad speaks to
BBC Sport after seeing gold snatched away in the final seconds by Cheick Sallah
Cisse’. This was the story that appeared on the BBC News website on the 20th
August 2016. In the closing stages of the Rio Olympic Games a British athlete
had seen his hopes of Olympic gold dashed. He had got so close, but had to be
satisfied with the silver medal.
I am sure we would all want to offer sympathy to the athlete. He has
spent years preparing for this event, ensuring that he is at his peak of
performance at just the right time. He has successfully progressed through the
preliminary rounds. He stood on the very edge of success, fame, and achievement
of his dream. Most of us have never been there. We can’t begin to imagine what
it must feel like, even though the achievement of the silver medal is terrific
and worthy of celebration. Lutalo’s words were, ‘I am so distraught’.
My mind went to a different scene altogether. Sadly, there are many
people who are working hard to get into God’s heaven. They have been expending
their efforts on good works, church attendance, and other such endeavours
expecting that it will see them received in glory in a coming day. Many of
their friends and compatriots may well set them up as examples and mentors
because of what they have accomplished. Everyone expects that they should be
safe and worthy of heaven. Lutalo may have been capable of the gold medal. However,
those expecting their own efforts to get them into heaven are working under a
delusion. Equally, for Lutalo there may be another opportunity in four years
for him to compete again. For those who expect to stand at the gate of heaven
and be accepted on the merit of their own efforts there is no ‘second chance’!
It is the purpose of this blog to point you to Christ as the only
Saviour of sinners. If you want to be assured of a home in heaven, then it is
essential that you cease from your own efforts and put faith in Christ alone.
All our best endeavours will only result in failure and a failure far more
catastrophic that anything Olympic medal loss. The Bible says, ‘Christ died for
our sins’ [1]. On the cross, He ‘suffered for us’ [2]. All that I am and all
that I have done can be forgiven if I put faith in Him and accept His work at
Calvary as necessary for my sin and guilt.
The question we all have to face is whether we’re prepared to accept God’s
verdict on our lives: ‘none righteous, no, not one’ [3]. Are we prepared to
come God’s way, humbly, repentantly, and by faith in Christ? The decision is
yours! You may be in ‘the final seconds’, what will it be?
[1] 1 Corinthians 15. 3
[2] 1 Peter 2. 21
[3] Romans 3. 10
