Olympic-Sized Hope

Going to the Olympics? In South Korea? Which is right next to North Korea? “No way. That is a fool’s folly.”  That is what I thought.  Now I wish I was there.  While I am hardly anything close to an adventurous traveler (what will I eat?; where are the bathrooms?), I wish I would have been there to see the moment. I was afraid of being close to a nation led by an unpredictable, egotistical politician.  Now I wish I had the foresight to recognize that even the neighbors of North Korea might find a way to display Olympic-sized hope in the midst of personal fears.

The moment when an athlete from South Korea and North Korea entered their Olympic stadium is one which must have made the angels smile. The moment when the two political ‘enemies’ ran up steps in tandem, with the Olympic Torch held in their hands, was one which must have made the angels stand and cheer.  Maybe they, and we, were seeing two enemy-nations grasp the hem of God’s garment.  Joshua Cooper Ramo turned to a quote from Otto von Bismarck to capture the hope this picture of unity offered:

A statesman... must wait until he hears the steps of God sounding through events, then leap up and grasp the hem of His garment. (https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/otto_von_bismarck_134221)

I don’t know if the current crop of international political leaders have the ability to wait, to listen, to grasp God’s will for the world.  But, I do know that it is good to stop and think about the fact that the world is much bigger than my neighborhood, my state, my country. It is good to remember and pray for those around the world who need to be listening.  Maybe what we witnessed at the Olympics Opening Ceremony is all a cynical charade.  But perhaps God’s garment of peace was swaying in ways we cannot imagine.

As people of faith, as a church, our prayers must be fed by a vision that is fueled by Olympic-sized hope.  We are called to pray for a United Korea and the United States. For the God of History is stepping toward that day when the thrilled hearts of people from every nation, tongue and tribe will together watch the lighting of the truly Eternal Flame.