Dear Crosswalkers,

At some point, we will all put our trust in someone who fails us.  Perhaps the most heartbreaking story out of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver was “exhibit A” of this truism.  In the Olympic finals for the 10,000 meter speed skating race, the Netherlands’ Sven Kramer [...]]]>

Dear Crosswalkers,

At some point, we will all put our trust in someone who fails us.  Perhaps the most heartbreaking story out of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver was “exhibit A” of this truism.  In the Olympic finals for the 10,000 meter speed skating race, the Netherlands’ Sven Kramer skated the 25 times around the rink so well that he set an Olympic record time of 12:54.50.  He is a superstar in his sport.  In fact, he finished a full 4 seconds ahead of the second place skater!  The week before he had won gold in the 5,000 meter race.  Now he had won a second Olympic gold medal!  He was a national hero in a country that reveres speed skating!

But the joy was erased in a matter of moments.  Kramer’s coach, Gerard Kemkers, a former Olympian himself, approached him after the race with devastating news.  Kramer had been disqualified from the race, because with eight laps to go, he had improperly changed lanes.  What was the reason for this unthinkable blunder?  His coach had told him to change lanes!  Kramer had never received lane-change directions from a coach in a race prior to that day.  The only reason he did it was because his coach told him too.  In a highly charged situation, Kramer trusted his coach instead of himself, and it cost him an Olympic gold medal.

Of course, the only one who felt worse than the skater was his coach.  The coach  said it was “the worst moment in my career… My world collapsed.”

Some of you know what it is like to have failed someone who put his or her trust in you.  It hurts.  Others are thinking of a time when someone you trusted failed you.  Maybe it cost you your job, or your marriage, or a friendship.  What do you do when you fail someone’s trust? What do you do when someone fails your trust and you pay the price? What happens to trust in a relationship after an expensive failure?

The next day Sven Kramer told the media that he had forgiven his coach, and they would continue working together. Kramer said, “The past few years have been too good. We have won so much together. You can’t just throw that away.”

Spiritually, we have all failed the trust God put in us.  Yet when we turn to him in faith, he forgives us.  We know that other people will let us down in this life.  Humans will betray our trust.  It is sad but true, and it is one of the deep hurts in life.  But there is hope because there is One who will never break our trust, and his name is Jesus.  He is faithful and true, and will always keep his promises.

Our theme for our Faith Promise Missions Series leading up to Easter this year is this:  There is Love.  For the next three weeks we will be celebrating missions and experiencing for ourselves that There is Love.

• This Sunday please remember to “Spring Forward” by turning your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night!
• Also this Sunday we are honored to have  Marty Hooper speaking.  Marty is a veteran missionary evangelist and he always brings a challenging and exciting message!

Love in Jesus,

Pastor John