Dick and D. A. Franklin sat in their seats at the London Aquatics Center while the commentator excitedly described their 17-year-old daughter: “She did not come off very well at all off that starting block.”
“She was terrible coming out of that hole. ... She came up dead last.”
Tension mounted in the packed arena as fans screamed encouragement to competitors in the 100-meter women’s backstroke final in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Tension threatened to tear apart Missy Franklin’s parents as they strained to watch their “little” girl make up ground on the world-record holder Gemma Spofforth and race favorite Emily Seebohm. Their little girl that used to jump into the lake by their house on frigid March mornings and fall asleep exhausted in her dad’s arms after long swimming practices was getting critiqued by a worldwide audience of armchair athletes.
“Seebohm as expected with the lead at the turn.”
Seconds slipped swiftly away as swimmers squeezed thousands of hours of training into the surge for home on the biggest stage on earth. The race would be decided by tenths of a second. Dick Franklin jumped to his feet screaming, “Go, go, go, go,” while Missy’s mom slowly staggered to her feet, covering first her mouth and then her whole face with her hands.
Missy Franklin inched closer to the leader Seebohm with only meters to go.
Later Missy watched a video replay of her parents and told a reporter, “Just seeing my parents, woah ... ” She flushed red, fanned her face and fought desperately for control of her emotions. “It means the world to me that they could be here. ... I know that God has given me so much, and for them to be here and for them to watch and to be with me and to experience it — it’s so special.”
God has given Missy “so much,” but not more than He’s given you and me. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father” (James 1:1717Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17)). No doubt you’ve stared in awe at a sky filled with incredibly complex clouds and bathed in the rich colors of sunset. Maybe you’ve had the privilege I’ve had of driving off for work watching my son waving wildly as he fairly danced with the joy of being alive. Or maybe you too have walked in the door to the ear-splitting smile of your wife dropping everything to give you the big “welcome home” hug. Maybe your recent joys have been more subtle, such as the freedom to breathe without pain and sit quietly to rest your weary body. Every truly good gift comes from our Creator and God.
Tears streamed down Dick and D. A. Franklin’s faces as they watched their daughter Missy step to the center of the medal stand to receive her first gold medal. Watching her national flag rising to the rafters, Missy forgot the words to the national anthem as thoughts swam around in her head. She did remember to say, “I couldn’t be happier. ... That flag was so unbelievable. I never dreamed it would be like that.” Dick Franklin put it this way: “It doesn’t get any better than this.”
As far as sports go, I imagine the Franklins are right. Millions of athletes and parents would love to trade places with them. Who wouldn’t want a finish and a feeling that exceeded their dreams and imaginations? But the tension, excitement, happiness and feelings have damped down to little spreading ripples from that initial big splash. Three more gold medals followed for Missy. Many more may lie ahead. Somewhere the medals will slip into memories.
God holds out bigger gifts. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). Our sin — disobedience to God — earns us death and banishment from the presence of a loving and giving God. But His gift of a perfect and endless life offered to us through Jesus Christ shows us His heart of love and tenderness. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). That life isn’t merely a thing to be slipped into a pocket like Missy did with her gold medal. We share that life with every other person who comes by faith to the Lord Jesus for salvation from their sins. Most of all we share that life with “Christ, who is our life” (Colossians 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)).
For Missy Franklin her great moment was made so much more special because her parents were able “to be there and for them to watch and to be with me.” We all delight in being close to ones we love and that truly love us. That’s one of God’s many gifts to the human race. But that is just a dim window on the wonderful future that awaits those who know Christ as their Saviour. The Apostle Paul compared it to life in this world and said “to be with Christ ... is far better” (Philippians 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)). We all crave love and understanding. How intensely wonderful it will be to be with the One who “understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:99And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. (1 Chronicles 28:9)) and pours out His love on us.
It will be intensely wonderful as long as we know Him as Saviour. God isn’t some sort of cosmic gift machine. He’s a holy God who only allows sinners like us to approach Him for pardon through His Son. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)). But when we do come by faith to God, we find that it really does “get better than this.” Much better. Infinitely better.