Paul Wylie was skating in the 1988 Winter Olympics at Calgary. He was nervous as he began his programme before 20,000 people and a TV audience of millions.
Then, in his first jump, something went wrong. He writes, “A flash later my hand touches the ice; the blade won’t hold. I start slipping and now I realise it; I am falling. All I hear as I collapse to the ice is the empathetic groan of what seems like a million voices.”
Wylie was faced with a split-second choice: He could focus on the mistake and give up, or he could keep on skating and do his best. Just then this Scripture verse came to his mind: “Though he falls he shall not be utterly cast down”(Psalm 37 v 24). He continued his routine and decided to skate “heartily, as to the Lord” (Col. 3 v 23). When the programme was finished the crowd burst into enthusiastic applause for his courage and determination.”
During my quiet time this morning as I was reading today’s Lectionary readings this verse from Psalm 37 jumped out at me and I thought that I must incorporate it in the message. When I opened my little book to the passage that I had chosen last night to send today, this story was on the opposite page. Was I being sent a message?
Many times, we feel too tired or despondent to get up when we fall but we need to keep trying. Yesterday when I was out doing my shopping, I met a member of our church and during our chat he told me that one of the side effects he has been getting from having to wear a mask is that he has been falling over. But he is getting used to it and keeps getting up.
It’s one thing to fall; it’s quite another to give up. Success consists of getting up just one more time than you’ve fallen down.
Let’s support one another in prayer for courage and determination to keep getting up.
God bless, Anna.
