Rafael Nadal (Spain) is the No. 1 seed and favorite to win the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros this year. For tennis fans, this should not come as a surprise. Nadal has already won an amazing 10 French Open titles!

Here are the other top-seeded men’s players:

2) Alexander Zverev (Germany)
3) Marin Cilic (Croatia)
4) Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
5) Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina)
6) Kevin Anderson (South Africa)
7) Dominic Thiem (Austria)
8) David Goffin (Belgium)
9) John Isner (USA)
10) Pablo Carreno Busta (Spain)

Nine different nations are represented in the first 10 seeds. It is a global competition. But only one will receive the trophy. In Revelations 7:9-10 (ESV) we read the following:

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

In the French Open, you may see many nations represented, but at the end, every nation and every language and every tribe and every people will be before the throne of Jesus and give Him glory. I cannot help but ask how many of those playing for temporary glory in Paris will also receive the crown of salvation? How many of them will be included in that multitude before the Lamb of God, Jesus?

He is the salvation for whoever will believe in Him. He is the Lamb that was slaughtered as a sacrifice for the sin of the people on this globe. This crown of victory will be an eternal prize that does not get old and won’t ever be taken away.

— Stephan van der Merwe

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