July 25, 2022 - You Can't Keep Me Down!

When I was still on the sidelines, I had a lot of times that I am sure players (and my assistant coaches) were thinking things were hopeless… and then when I gave a plan, were thinking I was clueless. (And sometimes I’m sure they were right about me…) 

Yet, in reality the goal was to have the team trusting me… that I had their best interest at heart. The reality is that sometimes, if we were just making the decision based upon a scoreboard, they were right… it was hopeless. Because the bottom line is that some teams were simply way better than us and some coaches were simply way smarter than me. Yet, what I hoped was that the team knew that any decision I made was in their best interest… it may not have even been to win the current game we were in, but instead a lesson to help us in future games, or the next time we face that team.

Life is like games… sometimes we simply feel “overmatched,” and honestly, we are going to lose on the scoreboard at times. This morning as I shared devotions with our apprentices, I talked about how Paul kept perspective (having joy and peace) in life’s struggles, by realizing that God and life are not synonyms. (I share that truth often! It is not an original thought to me… if I recall I read it in maybe a Philip Yancey book… but it is so true and so good.)

I thought about it yesterday as my pastor stated that we need to “shift attention to the rescue… the Who not the what…” He was referring to how the Israelites in their songs of ascent encouraged one another, not by ignoring their current struggles, but by reminding of the Rescuer!

Psalm 129:2a Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth…

Message paraphrase: They’ve kicked me around ever since I was young…

Psalm 129:2b YET, they have not prevailed against me.

Message paraphrase: BUT they never could KEEP me down.

I don’t know what you are facing on the scoreboard today, and honestly, you may “lose this particular game.” YET/BUT I know Who wins the season…

Get in the Word to learn more from the God Who is on your side!