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STAND & COMFORT Newsletter February 9, 2002 The Winter Olympics: A First Time For Many Things I love the Olympics, the competition, the stamina of the athletes, the satisfaction of seeing someone succeed after years of preparation. I enjoy watching especially when someone is going for a record. It's just an exciting time to me. What I don't enjoy anymore, though, are the opening ceremonies. I have watched these events for the past few years and it is obvious that the world's message of unity in the pursuit of peace has strongly penetrated these ceremonies. Every athlete can't win a particular Olympic competition, but it is still a sad thing to watch them not accomplish their goals. But it is a much sadder thing to watch humanity struggling year after year to bring about a final peace which God's word says is impossible. On top of this, the 2002 Winter Olympics are being held in a world that has and will continue to experience great change in order to fulfill its unattainable goals. One phrase, repeated again and again, really stood out throughout this event: "This is the first time that . . ." This phrase indicates change, and it was another indication of changes continuing on every front because of the world's pursuit of unity and peace. The Olympic's opening ceremonies in Salt Lake City, Utah were televised by NBC last night. With its 5,000 member cast, not only was the opening pageant as sensational and glorious as any in the past, but the theme of peace and unity prevailed through the depiction of Brigham Young's settlement of Utah. The statistics regarding security were astounding, as well as how security issues were dealt with as never before. The television hosts pointed out that security forces in Salt Lake City are the largest ever for any major sporting event, including this year's World Series and Super Bowl. With the events of September 11th in mind, they recalled the terrorist attacks at other modern Olympics: the 1972 tragedy in Munich, Germany when Palestinian commandoes attacked and killed members of the Israeli team, and the more recent pipe bomb during the Atlanta Summer Olympics when one person was killed and over 100 suffered injuries. NBC reported that $310 million is being spent on security - about one-sixth of the total Olympic cost - and 4,000 federal agents, 2,000 state and local policemen, and 5,000 military forces are involved. For the first time ever, the federal government is heading a 20-agency security communications center. The security equipment includes 430 metal detectors and 300 security cameras that can read a name tag more than 3 football fields away. Security personnel have been trained to perform sniping tasks from the mountains, to free hostages, control crowds in case of panic or emergency, and use tear gas. Agents are also patrolling the mountains in the area on skis, snowshoes and snowmobiles. Ninety-five miles of fencing encircle the Olympic areas for security purposes, and dogs sweep through buildings checking for explosives. Delivery vehicles are checked and kept 300 feet from any buildings, while those attending the Olympic events are efficiently passed through metal detectors at security checkpoints. Air travel is being restricted also. During the opening ceremonies, all flights were cancelled for the evening, and a forty-five mile no-fly zone is being enforced by F16s and Blackhawk helicopters. These are some of the statistics I gathered while watching the event. Needless to say, every aspect of terrorism that might endanger anybody has been taken into consideration, and plans have been made to put it down as quickly as possible, if not stopped immediately. Another first was the presence of President Bush, the first sitting President ever to attend and formally open the Winter Olympic games. Bob Costas asked Mr. Bush if there were any thoughts about this being the last of the Olympic games in America. The President replied that although the world has changed since September 11th, rather than never having the Winter Olympics here again, America would be made secure. He also said that this year's Olympic security was an example for other parts of the world and for similar events. The Olympic theme this year is "Light the Fire Within," and the motto will be etched on all of the Olympic medals, also a first. The opening pageant featured two skaters, one referred to as the "Fire Within" and the other as the "Child of Light" seeking that fire. The idea behind these characters was that the child needed to find the fire within to confront and defeat the storms that raged around him. In the opening scene, skaters representing the storm pursued the child, but in the end, the "Fire Within" skater came onto the scene and empowered the "Child of Light" to scatter the storm, assisted by 300 or so other "Children of Light." The "Fire Within" theme was meant to symbolize a rising up in the face of darkness and turmoil and trouble, and overcoming it. Applied to later segments of the evening's drama, the "Fire Within" represented the stamina of the first settlers who journeyed west to Utah, and how they encountered and overcame problems and trials and wild animals in pursuing their dream. Later, the idea of unity among citizens was brought out by a dramatization of the meeting of the eastern and western American railroads and the driving of the golden spike that united them. At some level, the message most likely appealed to men of any frame of mind, whether it be worldy or of a non-Christian spiritual nature. But what prevailed was the idea of unity, with the "spike" representing this country's unifying of settlers of various nationalities who all overcame their own difficulties. In other words, they found the fire within. The idea of unity was even more strongly brought out in the second segment, which followed the parade of the world's athletes. It was evident in the coming together of Utah's five original North American Indian tribes, who supposedly symbolized the five continents coming together in unity. The "Child of Light" approached one of the Indians who was playing a flute, and a speaker announced that Native Americans believe that "Everything on earth has a purpose and every person a mission." A representative from each of the five tribes had a flute and at a specific time, played a single note, each different from the other four. Then when they sounded their notes together, it symbolized unity among the tribes, as this was the first time they had come together in such an event. Members of the audience, who had received flutes in their "audience kit," joined in by sections and then all together in one harmonic chord. The circling flight of a real golden eagle, representing the connection between man and Mother Nature, introduced this segment. The chiefs of the five tribes entered on horseback, followed by members of their tribes dancing in incredible Indian dress. The chiefs dismounted and were each given a gift by an Olympic athlete while the chief pronounced a blessing on the athlete. Then the five tribes joined in a Rhythm dance, considered a call to live together in peace and unity. This was followed by members of each tribe forming large drum circles, twenty feet in diameter, while others united in what was called the Millennium Drum Dance. The speaker announced that, to Native Americans, the drum represents the heartbeat of Mother Earth. In the midst of the Unity Stomp Dance, a skater in a golden eagle costume skated in and out among the drum circles, followed by sixty-six others dressed in the same way. The message was clear: man was supposedly in union with Mother Nature. The ceremony ended with the "Child of Light" leading the "Children of Light" around the ice. As they made their exit, a skater darted out across the ice with sparks issuing from his skates, which sparked a fire on the ice and lit five fiery Olympic rings. Throughout the ceremony, as 310 million dollars' worth of security guarded both audience and athletes, the theme of pursuing unity and peace among local cultures, national cultures and international cultures was evident. This was a simple message that could be applied to many levels of thought, and every world citizen probably got something out it that satisfied his personal heart's desire for peace and unity. But within this message was another: no matter what happens, dream your dream until you find the fire within to overcome obstacles and make your dream come true. All must become children of light by finding the fire within, and then there will be unity. And as all become one in thought and purpose, evil will be overcome and then there will be peace. Like President Bush and so many others have stated, the world has changed; it is different now. This difference, however, will not be allowed to stagnate. Peace and unity and tranquility have been pursued in the past, but what is new is a hearty desire and a vibrant energy toward ridding the world of evil. Ten years ago we spoke of a coming paradigm shift, a slow turning of beliefs toward a global consciousness. Now we are in the throes of that change, which has progressed rapidly and is picking up speed. It seems evident that the majority don't have to stop and check their vocabulary in order to be politically correct nowadays. There has been a major increase in a global consciousness. How is a Christian supposed to watch all of this and react to it? I've been telling myself lately, "The world is the world and the world is gonna' do what the world is gonna' do." Watching this event, I thought, "What an odd mixture. There's $310 million worth of security protecting a ceremony imploring for peace and unity; there are more warnings about possible terror acts; and now there's an apparently new world standard for security at other large events." I see tremendous, mixed forces of peace and anxiety and fear and hope in the hearts of humanity, all clashing at a level I haven't seen before. I don't know if you do, but I do, and I picture it as the world just spinning every which way with its citizens hoping it will somehow just stop, and unity will come and peace will come. What does it signify? Change, major change. My final thought: "It's all so futile. The word of God is right. There will be no peace until Jesus returns to rule the nations. The world is trapped in its sin - the rejection of Christ Jesus our Lord - and it cannot find its way out." The world's problem is sin and it can't even admit what it is, let alone solve the problem. It doesn't know any better. That's why it does things the way it does. As individual Christians, we certainly love peace, we hate violence, and we love it when things are in harmony, but these things are only found in Christ. They are not something brought about by man's efforts, but by God's grace. That is true on a corporate body level as well. We have to hurt for the world because we know what the problem is . . . and what the solution is: our Lord Jesus Christ and His work and promises. The world sees fear today, hope tomorrow, and more anxiety the day after. I can almost feel it teetering one way and then the other. Which way will it all go? It certainly won't bring about a final age basking securely in world peace. Does this sound familiar to you?: "Peace, peace when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11). It's so sad, but its true. It's truly sad because in Jesus Christ there is an answer to it all. God's word offers us hope, and in turn we are to offer the world that hope and leave it up to them whether or not to accept the good news of Jesus Christ. The world is teetering, living on the edge of uncertainty and anxiety as it pursues unity. But I don't see this pursuit as the world coming together for the sake of peace. Rather, I see it as our Lord gathering things together so He can come back to weed out the good from the evil and reign over all things. After all, Scripture says, 1 Cor 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. Is God really in control of all of this? Yes, right up to the end: Rev 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts (the ten kings) to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. Our God is gathering to Himself a people and all that won't come to Him will gather together against Him. There are many factions and divisions in the world and in the Church, but there are only two gatherings going on that will culminate at the end of the age (Matthew 13). If you're seeking a final peace and unity and tranquility and harmony and all those good things in the world - and they are good things - you will not find them . . . ever. Only Jesus can bring that about, and He will: Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. How will we get there? The final stage of His gathering a people to Himself will be completed at His coming: Gen 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Be encouraged; God knows all about the world's goals. At Babel, He stepped in when mankind had become one on the face of the earth and nothing would be impossible for them (Genesis 11:6-9). At the end of the age, God will again step in with Christ's return because things will be so bad that if He didn't, no flesh would be saved (Matthew 24:21-22): 1 Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. ============== This newsletter will be sent out whenever I think there is something the body of Christ needs to consider, to build it up, to give it encouragement or comfort in hard times. To sign up for this newsletter, email Ed at edju@velocity.net |