Lance Armstrong at the 2005 Tour de France. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Lance Armstrong has finally decided to come clean. After years of passionate denial, the man had backed himself into a corner where he had no other alternative but to come clean. He admitted to Oprah Winfrey that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France. Still, I would like to think Armstrong’s confession was not news to most Americans. Many of us have long suspected that Lance was on the juice, yet we cheered every time he won. After all, he is one of us. He is a winner, and we love him.
So, instead of self pity and isolation, poor Lance has embarked on an apology and reconciliation tour, to repair his tattered image. No doubt, this must be the toughest time in his life. However, shameful this might appears, I Applaud him, and I pray for him. I just wish he had done this sooner. My only hope is he will use this experience to turn his life over to the true and living God. Because even though, his actions were despicable and disgraceful, he is not different from anyone of us. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Roman 3:23).
Sin is the reason Lance Armstrong cheated, and sin is the reason Jesus died. There is a way out for all of us (sinners). Jesus says, “I am the Way the truth and the Life. No one come to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Further, Jesus also directs us to, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
It is a fact that lightening travels the path of least resistance. Similarly, it is not a secret that humans like to get things the easy way. Like many of us, Lance Armstrong chose the wide gate and the broad way. It brought him much success, fame and fortune, but in the end all was for naught.
Let's Talk Gospel 
I wish we, as a people, did not applaud others in their wrong-doings; it only prolongs the fall that is surely to come. But we do. In the end the best thing we can do is receive God’s grace and mercy, forgive our self, and move on with a new set of standards.
LikeLike
Amen! I agree with your commentary whole heartily Pastor. It is time Christians realise that even though we are living in this world, we are not of this world. Paul says we should not conform ourselves to the pattern of this world. He admonished us to be transform by the renewing of our minds–new attitude, thought and behavior.
Thanks for stopping by god blesses.
LikeLike
Amen Brother Noel….once again, you’ve provided an honest and throught provoking message to remind us of the human condition that we all struggle with and the hope we have in Jesus!
Minister Glenda
LikeLike
May God bless your heart Minister Glenda. What happened to Lance Armstrong can happen to anyone. Thank God for Jesus He provided a way for you and I.
Thanks for your input. God blesses.
LikeLike
You have to admire his perseverance. If Christians had that kind of drive to be all we could be for Christ, were would the body be now. 🙂
God Bless you, Noel!
LikeLike
I absolutely agree with you Lady D. There are lessons to be learned from Lance’s down fall. It could happen to anyone.
Thanks for stopping by Lady D. God blesses.
LikeLike
Hello Noel,
Great context in which you placed this story. Yes, Lance Armstrong is looked upon as a villain now, but as you said, when he was winning everyone was cheering him on, even those who may have suspected he was on the juice. I like the way you used this story to speak of the grace of God. Truly, God’s grace is sufficient. Excellent post! May the Lord bless you, abundantly.
Paulette
LikeLike
Hello Minister Paulette! How have you been doing? I hope everything is fine. Thanks for your you comment. I placed myself in Lance Armstrong’s shoes, and I am convinced I would have done the same thing If I had not met Jesus. I have a feeling Lance Armstrong is a loving, kind person, but like many of us, he allowed the devil to chart his course. I hope he will learn from his mistakes and surrender to Jesus.
God blesses.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on GoodOleWoody's Blog and Website.
LikeLike
Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 comes to mind – “There is a way that seems right to man but the end thereof is the way of death” – along with 21:2 “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord ponders the hearts”
As you rightly say, Lance Armstrong is no different from the rest of us when it comes to ‘going our own way’ and being ‘right in our own eyes’. We all follow self: we all sin. On a human level “clean” athletes would disagree and feel cheated, but as far as God is concerned, all sin is on the same level. All sin separates from God and makes communion with Him impossible.
I have read that after his win following his battle with cancer, when the interviewer made reference to a miracle and asked how much God had featured, he made the statement that “God had nothing to do it: it was ALL ME”.
Man’s extremities are God’s opportunities and I sincerely pray that in this time of extremity in his life, Lance Armstrong will have a change of heart; that he will see not just the error of his ways regarding drug-use, but his sinful state before the Lord; that he will repent and come to know the blessedness of forgiveness, cleansing and salvation in Christ.
LikeLike
Angela–your comment fascinates me. I truly appreciate it. Situations like Lance’s give life to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lance Armstrong saga is tangible proof that Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Essentially, if we chose Jesus we win forever but if we rejected Jesus and choose the path the devil charted, we could jolly well end up like Lance Armstrong.
Jesus was right when he said: ” Wide is the way that leads to destruction. Have we not seen this movie in the past? The only thing that last is Salvation…
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. God blesses.
LikeLike
There’s a way that seems right, but the end thereof is destruction, the bible states. The phrase that stood out the most to me was, “…humans like to get things the easy way” and “…Lance Armstrong chose…” This is a profound message in and of itself. It also reminds me of how much more I must stay humbled, especially concerning the choices I make. Thank you for sharing your piece. God bless you and your ministry.
LikeLike
Thanks Yahobahne–I greatly appreciate your input. I am very please to know you like the post. I believe all of us can learn something from Lance Armstrong’s bad judgement. We were like him before we met Jesus.
LikeLike
I’m more impressed by Lance’s ability to admit the truth out in the open rather than choosing to conceal and live a lie. My grandma would always say, Tell the truth and shame the devil rather than tell the lie and leave all the shame on you.
Blessings,
Sherline
LikeLike
That is exactly how I feel too, Sherline. Sometimes we forget that a sinner does sinful things.
Thanks for stopping by. I truly appreciate your input. God blesses.
LikeLike
Im glad he finally came to his sense and told the truth. I like what Sherline said, my mom says that as well. She even have me saying. God Bless 🙂
For some odd reason I’m not getting notication of when you post.
LikeLike
Thanks for your input P.J. It is much more profitable to encourage than to criticize. There is a good lesson to be learn from every bad situation. I hope Lance learn his lesson—without Jesus all is for naught.
LikeLike