PRAISE OF EVERY TONGUE

At 6:15 am today, Saturday already in Vietnam, I woke and switched on the live broadcast of the Olympics opening ceremony. It was the last hour of the program as I watched the Olympic flag carried in and raised. They played the Olympic song and the Olympic oaths were spoken by an athlete, an official and a coach. I saw the entry of the Olympic flame and the dramatic lighting of the huge Olympic torch.  The program ended with Paul McCartney singing the Beatles well known song “Hey Jude.” He led the hundreds of athletes and 60,000 spectators in a kind of “sing along” with many holding hands.

I enjoyed it, but I also had a kind of sad feeling as I watched this part of the ceremony. It was wonderful to see so many from over a hundred nations coming together in peace. This kind of unity and non-violent coming together (OK, there is a little a violence in some Olympic sports including boxing), if only for a few days, is a very positive thing.

But as a follower of Jesus, I couldn’t help but wish the flag that was being raised was in honour of our God and King. When the oaths were read, I wished they were oaths of loyalty to Jesus. When the massive Olympic torch was raised, I wanted it to be in honour of our Creator and Lord.

Later in the morning (after 50 minutes in the fitness room) I read a few pages in Ezekiel, chapters 25 – 32. God warns of coming destruction of Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon and Egypt. All of these nations had been enemies of God’s chosen people. He prophesies that they will judged and punished.

An important phrase is repeated at least eleven times in these chapters. “Then they (you) will know that I am the Lord. This is what God wants from nations and individuals. That is what I was wanting as I watched the Olympic spectacular – that the thousands in the stadium and the estimated one billion watching around the world would know the King and be united in worship of Him.

What caused my sad feeling was what Matt Redman has written and sung in “Missions Flame”:

“You should be the praise of every tongue. You should be the joy of every heart.”

We followers of Jesus must continue to go and serve; go and tell because centered in Christ Jesus we offer the Good News that brings so much more joy, peace and unity. We have so much more to live for, so much more to sing about, so much more. We must keep sharing what God offers to all. Our God deserves to be praised and worshipped by every one of His creatures.