13 Aug, 2009
One False Start Means Disqualification
BERLIN (Reuters) - From next year any athlete committing a false start will be immediately disqualified under a rule change approved by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Wednesday.
Under the current system one false start is allowed "against the field" and anyone subsequently false-starting is then disqualified.
The rule, which will come into force from January 1 2010, does not apply to combined events such as the decathlon and heptathlon, where one false start per race will be allowed with any subsequent false start attracting disqualification.
The new system, which has worked successfully in swimming since its introduction 10 years ago and is also used in American collegiate athletics, had been opposed by many leading athletes but was approved by a vote of 97 to 55 at the IAAF Congress which is taking place in Berlin ahead of the world championships beginning on Saturday.
IAAF President Lamine Diack said: "The current rule gives sprinters the chance to play the system, to deliberately false start but not be punished for it." Until 2003 the same athlete had to false-start twice to be disqualified.
Story and photo taken from: http://www.reuters.com
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Ephesians 3:7 (NIV)
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.
Luke 15:20 (NIV)
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
Our God is a God of Grace
How many of us have had "false starts" in life? My hand will be the first to go up. I have constantly made bad choices or no choices that I wish I could take back.
If our lives were monitored by the system in our story above, we all would be disqualified from life. But the good news of the gospel is that God is a God of grace.
Grace is defined as the free and unmerited favor of God. Basically God loves us unconditionally without us having to earn it.
The problem is that many of us live with the concept that God is just waiting for us to make a mistake so He can disqualify us.
Like the apostle Paul, we all have been called by God's grace to do good works for Him. Not the other way around. There is nothing we can do or give to God to earn His favor.
As a matter of fact, Jesus tells us that even when we feel distant from God, He comes running to us with His arms open wide. He even throws us a party! That's how great God's love and grace are. Wow!
I think keeping this image of God in our minds could do wonders for us when we don't feel qualified or able to handle the life that God has given us.
- Are there areas in your life today that you are feeling "disqualified" from?
- On the other hand, do you feel totally in control of your life and confident because of your own talents?
- Go to prayer and acknowledge God's grace. You can even pray using the first two scriptures above and then end with the image of Christ embracing you in unconditional love. (Don't take these exercises too lightly. It is often faulty images of God that effect us negatively. Of course, the opposite is true as well.)
- Are there some people around you that feel like they have failed in some aspect of their lives? If so, share with them how God's unconditional love has effected you.
- Look for ways to be like Christ in the story above. Undoubtedly, there are many people who have wronged you or disappointed you. Ask God to give you the grace to love them and extend grace to them as well.
- September 2010 [6]
- August 2010 [21]
- July 2010 [22]
- June 2010 [20]
- May 2010 [19]
- April 2010 [21]
- March 2010 [23]
- February 2010 [19]
- January 2010 [22]
- December 2009 [22]
- November 2009 [21]
- October 2009 [22]
- September 2009 [21]
- August 2009 [20]
- July 2009 [21]
- June 2009 [22]
- May 2009 [18]
- April 2009 [15]
- March 2009 [7]
- February 2009 [17]
- January 2009 [20]
- December 2008 [23]
- November 2008 [19]
- October 2008 [22]
- September 2008 [22]
- August 2008 [19]
- July 2008 [22]
- June 2008 [11]
- May 2008 [20]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [18]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [18]
- November 2007 [15]
- October 2007 [19]
- September 2007 [18]
- August 2007 [12]
- July 2007 [12]
- June 2007 [9]
- May 2007 [11]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [11]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [4]
- November 2006 [13]
- October 2006 [17]
- September 2006 [11]
- August 2006 [16]
- July 2006 [10]
- June 2006 [3]
