On Saturday night, history was made in the sport of horse racing as Justify became the 13th Triple Crown winner. Beating the field in the Belmont Stakes, Justify was ridden by jockey, Mike Smith, and trained by, Bob Baffert, who trained the last Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah.

This unique sports feat requires victories at the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, and The Belmont Stakes. Knowing American Pharoah won the Triple Crown in 2015 after a 37-year drought shows how rare and remarkable Justify’s performance was this year.

With different tracks and distinctive characteristics, together the three races form one Triple Crown. Although fans appreciate each individual race, true excitement comes with the winning of all three and becoming a Triple Crown Champion.

This extraordinary image can provide us a way to picture one of the more complicated truths of our faith: God as three persons – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

As challenging as it can be to grasp their unity, we know they are three in one. Each has their role in the Godhead (or the Trinity), and we can appreciate their individual characteristics while also embracing how they’re connected as One.

Genesis 1:26 (AMP) explains our beginning while revealing their oneness:

“Then God said, ‘Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]…’”

While serving one God who is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, scripture also provides this insight about Jesus in Colossians1:15 (AMP): “He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.”

And in John 14:26 (NLT), Jesus tells us about the Spirit available to us: “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”

Just like horse racing’s ultimate victory is made up of three races, our ultimate victory is in a God who is three in one. Today, let’s allow that truth to empower us and give us tremendous hope and confidence.

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I acknowledge You sent Jesus to provide a way for me to know You. Thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me into all truth. I believe in one unified God. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.