Recently, Judy and I celebrated my 80th birthday with my sister in Northern Michigan (UP), where I was born and raised by my Finnish parents.  Having left home when I was 18, venturing out to California, coming to faith at a Bible school and meeting my “Rachel” at the well, reaching 80 is a milestone both physically and spiritually.

I now have a longer view of history in which to celebrate and share the mercy and goodness of the Lord. I always told my family, “I’m shooting for 80.”  Now that I have made it, I still have some spiritual “juice” left in my tank.  Physically, I am slowing down, but spiritually and mentally I am feeling strong. 

Psalm 92:12-15 is marked “old age” in my Bible: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.  They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green (Psalm 92:12-15).  O Lord, keep my spirit open  so I don’t get brittle and worn out.  May your Spirit keep me fresh and green.  I want to flow in the power of your Spirit, flourishing in my 80’s. Help me to “leave it all out on the spiritual field” for You.  

Deut. 34:7 tells us, “Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever.”  Moses didn’t stay forever youthful.  But he did stay useful and faithful to God.  Is. 46:4 is also marked “in old age.”  “Even in your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”  I thank you, Lord, for carrying me this far on the journey, sustaining and rescuing me through all these years.  

I want to sing, praise, and even shout with Jeremiah when he declares, “But there’s one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope: God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.  They’re created new every morning.  How great your faithfulness!  I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).  He’s all I’ve got left” (Lam. 3:21b-24 Message). At 80 I can let it all out, because He is all I have left.  Praise you Jesus; I just want to tell of your faithfulness to a generation without a lot of hope. 

We might all pray with the Psalmist, “Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone” (Ps 71:9). The psalmist later shares a wonderful testimony that we can embrace whenever we begin the last leg of our individual journeys. “O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do.  Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God.  Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me” (Ps 71:17-18 NLT). 

As we all draw closer to our eternal home, let us be “at home in his love.”  “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me.  Make yourselves at home in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love.  That’s what I’ve done – keep my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love” (John 15:9-10 Message).

The Tokyo Olympics are now history. The spirit and demeanor of the event changed dramatically this year because of political unrest all around the world. National pride seemed to be a waning, with more focus on individual accomplishment.  The Covid-19 virus certainly impacted every event in some way. Yet the gospel message was presented through the testimony of some very committed athletes. 

One such example was the Fiji Rugby team. Now I am not a rugby fan.  I know little about the sport.  But what I have seen on TV has left a lasting impression: two groups of grown men, physically strong and agile, each determined to out-muscle each other and force their collective will on their opponents.  These are real guys in the classic sense.  I marvel at these athletes working together as a team.  In my opinion, most NFL teams could use these guys on their offensive lines. But that is perhaps a naïve point of view.  

Whatever the case, the Fiji Rugby team won a gold medal.  I happened to see the last part of the medal ceremony.  I thought to myself, “Amazing! These strong, muscular guys are praying and worshiping after being awarded an Olympic gold medal.”  Here is how Breakpoint described the medal ceremony: “This was the second Olympic gold for the Fijians.  They got on their knees, they prayed to God in thanksgiving, and sang a hymn of praise.  It was so beautiful.  It’s a traditional tune that contains these words, ‘We have overcome, by the blood of the lamb, and the word of the Lord, we have overcome.’”

When I read that, I knew I had to write this blog.  First, I deeply admire these strong, athletic men for defying the cultural narrative so prevalent during the Olympics. “God talk” was carefully monitored and capped.  But the guys from Fuji came to the games to collectively witness to their faith.  These men played together, united in faith, witnessing to the world of the saving gospel of Jesus.  Being culturally and politically correct was not part of their worldview.  They were a team of Christian men, and they wanted the world to know that God deserves the glory.  How refreshing it was to see their united witness.  

Secondly, I love the words from the hymn they sang. As the world watched, these men celebrated, prayed, cried, and worshiped.  The words come from Revelation 12:11, when John heard in a loud voice from heaven celebrating the defeat of Satan and his angels, who had “lost their place in heaven” (v. 8).  “They overcame him, by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death” (v. 11).

Thirdly, these men sang their testimony.  My impression is that they wanted the world to know that they were “overcomers” in Jesus.  John wrote in I John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”  Wow!  On the world stage these men boldly dared to say that Satan has been defeated.  We are reminded that we too can be “overcomers.”

Fourth, imagine a rugby team singing about the “blood of the lamb.”  We read in Col. 2:15, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”  Praise God!  During the 2021 Olympics, Jesus’ victory over evil was declared to a world in desperate need of hope.  That’s powerful!