The philosophy for every 'Christian athlete' is that when we first wake, it's a new start to a new day and what should be on the very forefront of our heart: "In the beginning, God". When we go to the bathroom and wash our face, and freshen up ready to get dressed for the day, what should be foremost: "In the beginning God".
Every event in our day, the first thought is: "In the beginning God". This is a great theme for a new year, 2011.
Elite athletes are necessarily thoughtful people and it might not be such a bad idea at this point to look at some of the alternatives to - "In the beginning God"
First alternative
In the beginning nothing …..
With this alternative there was no God, just nothing, it just came into being by some random chance over a very long period of time that somehow saw the millions of cells within the framework of an eye all come together in order, that each one of us, for example, can enjoy the kaleidoscope of colour and of the magnificent beauty that is all around us.
This is a world view where the laws of nature or mathematics have no starting point and no foundation stone. The philosophical outworking of this view is that man himself is the beginning and the end of life without any reference point and therefore destiny and justice are entirely within the orbit of the politically powerful and those who have the biggest weapon. If, in the beginning there was nothing, in the end there will be nothing too.
Second alternative
In the beginning matter ….....
With this alternative that is no God, only matter. The reference points for life and practice, love, care, integrity, family, love ... are associated not with man created in the image of God, but rather from matter.
There are no reference points for the spiritual, or the moral, or any values of life, these don't matter at all as human life has not eternal dimension, only that which we can see and touch. The unseen, the intangible such as ambition, trust, character, care, compassion have no eternal dimensions or consequences. As the Russian novelist Dostoevesky said, "Without God anything is permissible."
OR - there is God
In the beginning God …..
God the planner, the creator, the sustainer, worthy of our worship, a God who gives meaning to life and provides every new year with anticipation and hope. A God who sent his Son Jesus Christ to bear the sin of the entire world upon himself to offer us freedom in spirit of such things as guilt and inner torment. This is the reference point to all of our life.
As the theologian Francis Schaeffer said, "The ultimate question of life is whether there is someone out there or whether there is not someone out there."
2011 allows a fresh beginning in any athlete's world view of the world, to see the greatest and glory of God.