Dara's Medals, Christ's Diligence & Alice's Grandpa

As I watched the American swimming team on the Olympics, I was awestruck at how Dara Torres was able to defy the odds and prove that age should never be a factor when it comes to reaching your dreams. I read one article that said her Olympics run dates back to 1984 – she won her first gold medal that year. That was about 17 or 18 years before Michael Phelps was even born! Since then, Dara has won a total of 12 medals, 4 – bronze, 4 – silver, and 4 – gold. She has never given up but has diligently stayed dedicated and determined in her pursuit of excellence in her sport. Just a few days prior to this past week, the folks in the swim world probably looked at Dara as a washed up grandma, ready for AARP. But now, the world is proclaiming her as the ageless wonder!

As I think about Dara’s amazing determination, I’m reminded of a conversation I had with Alice Knighten this past Sunday. Her grandpa passed away after 81 years of life. The amazing thing about his passing however, wasn’t that he lived four score and 1 year. What is so amazing is the dilligence of our Savior to accomplish something He has wanted to do since the day Alice’s grandpa was born. You see, Alice’s grandpa lived his life as an unbeliever. He really wanted nothing to do with salvation and thought that speaking to priests or pastors was nothing but a huge waste of time. Like all of us, he had his own agenda in life. But unbeknownst to him, God had His own agenda. And God never gave up. It’s amazing how our Savior diligently stays dedicated and determined in His pursuit of our hearts. And just a couple of days before Alice’s grandpa died, he accepted Christ’s invitation and was born again. He spent those last couple of days proclaiming to everyone who came around him that he had been saved by God’s amazing grace! And now, all of heaven is heralding him as resident of that celestial city, ageless, timeless, and eternal! Thank you Lord for never giving up on us!

Posted in: