Is it less than a fortnight ago since the Olympics finished?  Hard to believe.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching the rhythmic gymnasts dancing gracefully about the floor with ribbons, balls, clubs and hoops.  Amazing agility.

My favourite routine is with the ribbon.  There is something particularly mesmerising watching the intertwining patterns made by the gymnast and the ribbon.  Even when the gymnast tosses the ribbon high and leaps or twirls across the floor, her eyes never leave it for one second and she knows exactly when to extend hand or foot to catch it.  Thankfully, in these Olympics none of the ribbons developed knots and there was nothing to hinder the display of grace and beauty.  But in previous Games I’ve seen gymnasts stopping in the middle of their routine in order to speedily unknot the end of the ribbon.  Knots and beauty in this instance don’t go together, in fact a knot prevents the ribbon being whisked into its ever-changing patterns.

I caught myself wanting to be as beautiful in God’s hands as the ribbon is in the gymnast’s hands.  I don’t want knots – bad attitudes, wilful sin, addictions, selfishness – getting in the way.  But when they do, I know that Jesus is more than able to unpick those knots and set me free again so that I can worship Him and give Him joy.  Even during the tough, stressful times when it feels as though He has let go, His eyes never leave me, His precious one, for a millisecond.  He knows exactly what He is doing.

The gymnast knows her routine perfectly.  All the ribbon has to do, is to be a ribbon, and the beauty is evident to everyone.  God knows the pattern He has for our lives.  All we have to do is be obedient responders to Him, let Him be our Lord, and the beauty of Jesus will be evident to everyone.