A Father Who Wouldn't Let Him Finish Alone

On August 3, 1992, British sprinter Derek Redmond lined up for the 400-meter semi-final at the Barcelona Olympics. He had trained his entire life for this moment. But halfway around the track, his hamstring snapped. Derek crumpled to the ground, and sixty-five thousand spectators fell silent.

What happened next remains one of the most replayed moments in Olympic history. Derek pulled himself up. Weeping, he began hopping toward the finish line. Then a large man in a T-shirt pushed past security and onto the track. It was Jim Redmond — Derek's father. He wrapped his arm around his son's waist and whispered, "We're going to finish this together." Derek buried his face in his father's shoulder, and step by agonizing step, they crossed the finish line as the entire stadium rose to its feet.

Jim Redmond didn't care about medals or protocol. He saw his son suffering, and love would not let him stay in the stands.

That is the love the Apostle Paul describes — love that bears all things, endures all things, love that never fails. And it is precisely the love our Heavenly Father offers each of us. When life tears something inside you and you cannot stand on your own, the Almighty does not watch from a distance. He steps onto the track. He puts His arm around you. And He says, "We will finish this together."