Kathleen Baker triumphs at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She overcame, or shall we say endures Crohn’s disease. She remained undistracted by the loss of “potential” as a nineteen-year-old world class swimmer to win silver with a personal best time in the 100-meter backstroke. This little description causes you to see a silver medal as triumph and to cheer for her as a person. We cheer because she is a sweet young lady with a great story who had a great race. But we cheer her as triumphant first, because one always will choose triumph over defeat as an image-bearer of God. He always triumphs so we look for His triumph in our lives. And secondly, we see triumph in a silver medal because we know success is found in the bigger context or story, for it is more complex than just one event or a medal competition.
We have triumphed. Our God calls us to see ourselves as more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37). In this He does not promise a flawless life or some kind of top of the heap success in this world, but He calls us conquerors nonetheless. We are victors because as believers in Jesus Christ we have been freed from the penalty and power of sin unto an eternal dynamic relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ who loves us. This is what makes our victory more than a conqueror because we have won and we have a relationship with the God of the universe. He has made us good, and by His grace He will complete us until His day of glory is fulfilled with us in heaven. Let us not lie (Colossians 3:9) to one another concerning our relationship with Christ, our blameless position, our power to obey, and our God-given inner desire to worship Him with all we are. He has triumphed; in this we have triumphed; we will triumph; for He wills such. Knowing the futility of earth in its groans from sin’s curse, and its ultimate judgment as well as our victory, let us pursue a life of godliness and holiness being set apart in relationship with our Savior. Enjoy the victory daily! This is who we are in Him!