The Father Who Ran the Race

On July 3, 1992, at the Barcelona Olympics, Derek Redmond lined up for the 400-meter semifinal. He had trained for years, overcome multiple surgeries, and finally reached the moment he had dreamed of since boyhood. Midway through the race, his hamstring snapped. He crumpled to the track in agony.

What happened next remains one of the most replayed moments in Olympic history. Derek 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 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."

The crowd of 65,000 rose to their feet. Father and son crossed that finish line as one, Derek's face buried in his father's chest.

That is the love of God. He does not watch from the stands while we struggle. He does not wait at the finish line with a stopwatch. When we are broken, when every dream lies torn on the track of our own limitations, the Father runs to us. He wraps His arm around our trembling shoulders and whispers, "We will finish this together."

First John 4:19 tells us, "We love because He first loved us." Before we ever reached for Him, He was already running toward us.