The Olympics: A TRUCE OF PEACE
Gospel Reading: John 14:27
As told from ancient Greece in the Antiquities, the Olympic Games was a time of a truce of peace which was probably observed all over the Greek Empire territories. I can imagine what joy and comfort it brought to the troops on all battlefields in Asia, North Africa, Central Europe, etc! Some of them would even have forgotten about the Olympics but were awaken a certain morning by the strong voice of an emissary sent by the Emperor heralding this very statement: “THE OLYIMPICS: A TRUCE OF PEACE”. What a relief it brought to all of them!
In ancient African kingdoms, it is also said that at a certain time, when a king announced a truce to occupied territories, people immediately understood that it was time to collect gifts (as cattle, minerals, etc) to be sent him at court along with two or three pretty girls offered him!
In the Greek Empire, during all the time athletes and sportsmen spent competing in the arena, there was no longer heart flashes about a probable enemy attack. IT WAS PEACE! PEACE EVERYWHERE!
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you;
not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
(John 14:27)
Thus the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings proclaimed our “SPIRITUAL OLYMPIC TRUCE which fortunately has no end! Of course, it has been the precious gold garment of the Christian Church born at Pentecost in Jerusalem and it remains so today more than 200 years later. Furthermore, it will also be the gold shining crown that all the redeemed will be bearing when raptured they will be singing giving thanks to the Lord for having redeemed them FROM THE HAND OF THE ENEMY.(Psalm 107:1-3).
Unfortunately, Satan our enemy will never observe the Lord’s given truce of peace. Why? Simply because our hearts have never proclaimed a truce of peace towards our neighbours. Strange but surely correct if we can’t answer this question with a YES : “How many years have I, have you spent separated from your parents or husband or wife or children or friends or neighbours because YOU REFUSED TO ANNOUNCE TO THEM A TRUCE OF PEACE IN ALL THE MATTERS OF CONFLICT THAT KEEP YOU FAR OF THEM?”.
Four years have now passed between the 2012 Olympics in London, UK, and the ones we are watching in Rio de Janeiro today. Can we remember how our relations with our neighbours were four year ago during the summer 2012? Has something better occurred in as repentance or reconciliation or sending a card or a single gift one to the other? We are still terrifying them with our unhealed hatred between Black and White, between our tribe and theirs, between rich nations and poor nations, between the disabled and those without disabilities. How can we continue praying and imploring the Lord to help us overcome terrorism while our hearts are still filled with darkness thoughts that terrify our neighbours? PLEASE, MAKE A GIFT OF A TRUCE OF PEACE TO YOUR NEIGHBOUR DURING THESE 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES. That’s the precious gift the Lord expects you to give Him NOW!
PRAYER: Thank you Lord Jesus Christ, for the everlasting PEACE you gave us to be always shared with our neighbours. Amen!
May the peace of God be with you.
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