A Father's Arms on the Track

In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, British sprinter Derek Redmond lined up for the 400-meter semifinal. He had trained for years, endured multiple surgeries, and finally made it to the biggest stage in the world. When the gun fired, he exploded off the blocks. Then, halfway around the curve, his hamstring snapped. He crumpled to the track, grabbing the back of his leg, his face twisted in agony.

What happened next became one of the most replayed moments in Olympic history. Redmond pulled himself up and began hobbling toward the finish line, tears streaming down his face. Then a large man in a T-shirt pushed past security and ran onto the track. It was Jim Redmond, Derek's father. He wrapped his arm around his son's shoulder and said, "We're going to finish this together." And they did — step by painful step — while 65,000 people in Montjuic Stadium rose to their feet.

Healing does not always mean the pain disappears. Derek still limped. His hamstring was still torn. But he was no longer alone on the track.

That is the promise of Jehovah Rapha, the God Who Heals. He does not always remove the wound instantly. Sometimes He wraps His arm around us in the middle of our broken stride and whispers, "We will finish this together." The healing begins not when the pain ends, but when we stop trying to limp through it alone.