I close this series of observations from the Olympics with two athletes/teams giving glory to God. I’m sure there were more.

Here’s the first: Sydney McLaughlin earned gold with her record-breaking run in the 400-meter hurdles, just ahead of her rival and sometime training partner Dalilah Muhammad, who also broke the existing record. They have described themselves as “iron sharpens iron.”

An article on SportsSpectrum is explicit about her giving glory to God. Here are a few snippets:

• Sydney McLaughlin ‘giving the glory to God’ after earning Olympic gold, another world record (headline)
• “Just trusting the process. Giving the glory to God,” McLaughlin said… 
• And I think the biggest difference this year is my faith, trusting God and trusting that process, and knowing that He’s in control of everything. As long as I put the hard work in, He’s going to carry me through. And I really cannot do anything more but give the glory to Him at this point.”
• In November, she posted a video her getting baptized in the ocean at a beach in L.A., and said, “For twenty-one years I was running from the greatest gift I could ever receive. And by His grace, I have been saved. I no longer live, but Christ in me. My past has been made clean because of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

I’m saving the second example for tomorrow’s blog. Both these stories are too good to combine!

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2.20, NKJV)