Jobie Dajka is the sort of name that sticks in the memory (even if I did have to look up the spelling!). If you’re into track cycling you may remember Dajka as the former Commonwealth Games gold medallist and world champion. But it’s more likely that you remember Dajka as being at the centre of a drug scandal in the lead-up to the 2004 Athens Olympics for which he was banned from the sport for 3 years. Yesterday, Jobie Dajka was found dead in his Adelaide home. The cause of death hasn’t been given, however it is known that since the scandal in 2003 Dajka has struggled with both alcoholism and severe depression – the result of his dramatic fall from grace.
But Jobie Dajka wasn’t the only “disgraced” sportsman in the news yesterday. It was also revealed that swimmer Nick D’Arcy had been expelled from the Australian World Championship team for assaulting a fellow swimmer last year. I wonder how he will respond to having his hopes and dreams dashed. Will he simply “move on” with life, or will he be so devastated that he will question whether his life still has any meaning? I don’t know the bloke, but I prayed for Nick D’Arcy this morning – that this situation will indeed force him to question the meaning of life and that somehow, in God’s grace, he will find it in Jesus.
It seems to me that if you place your hopes and dreams anywhere other than in Jesus, life is inevitably very disappointing. Completely meaningless. Nothing truly satisfies. In a few weeks we begin our ‘Got Questions’ series at SCPC and we’ll be kicking off with the very fundamental question: “what is the meaning of life?” If you have ever asked this question and really struggled to find a satisfying answer, why don’t you come along. Or if you know someone who seems less than satisfied with the way their life is turning out – please invite them. It could be the most loving thing you ever do for them.
I’m really looking forward to the “Got Questions” series starting next term, as I’m sure I’ll find the Bible Talks encouraging, as will anyone who listens to them. It is great that even if people don’t make it to church to hear the talks “live”, they can listen to them on line, or even put the talk on their ipod/MP3 via iTunes!