When all is said and done in sports I believe it all still boils down to an old saying: Offense wins games; defense wins championships.
A lot of that philosophy is based upon the simple fact that offense is something that often wavers from night to night, maybe even from half to half. Some nights the shots just don’t seem to be falling. Yet defense can be played consistently every night. It is a matter of heart and determination.
I thought about a game I watched Saturday night between the University of Kentucky and West Virginia University. It was a game in which WVU shot much better than anyone ever dreamed they would; (proving that offense is unpredictable.) Kentucky’s players shot horribly that game (missing their first 20 3-point attempts.)
Many had commented on Kentucky’s team about how strong of defense they have been playing in the tournament. And many also talked about their strong offense, with one of the most talented freshmen classes ever assembled. Yet on this particular night, when the offense was sputtering, they also chose to take most of the second half off from defense as well. Even the commentators kept questioning UK’s lack of pressure on the defensive end. WVU was playing without their starting point guard and at times had the back-up point guard on the bench. Yet UK was content to let the non-ballhandlers move the ball around to find comfortable shots. Even though Kentucky is probably the most talented team in college basketball, they are now at home – out of the tournament – and should be doing an inventory check to see where their heart and determination went.
I feel like I could turn this week’s devotion simply into a sports article but I am getting to an applicable point for our Christian lives. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;…
In other words we need to be able to “play defense” in our Christian lives. If we cannot defend or support what and why we believe something, we simply allow the ball to stay in the “opponent’s court” and for them to remain comfortable in their “offense” (beliefs.)
Our goal is to be able to make a strong stand, get the “ball” back in our possession and head straight for the “goal” (straight to the cross)!
2 Timothy 2: 14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
March 22, 2010 - Knockout by Ali
It was a great “knockout” by Ali!
No, I am not talking about Muhammed Ali and boxing; I am talking about Ali Forokhmanesh from Northern Iowa University and his “knockout punch” on the Kansas Jayhawks in their second round matchup in the NCAA tournament.
This was a game where the mighty Jayhawks were expected not only to win, but to win convincingly. The Jayhawks were the unanimous number 1 team in the country heading into the tournament. The Jayhawks were the overall number 1 seed of the tournament. The Northern Iowa Panthers were the winners of the Missouri Valley Conference and not expected to have a chance against the winners of the Big 12. This was a true David vs. Goliath matchup.
Yet with 37 seconds on the clock and clinging to a 1-point lead, Northern Iowa’s 6’0” guard, Ali Forokhmanesh, found himself standing wide open, ball in hand, at the three-point line. The normal thought process is to hold the ball to take time off the clock. They had the lead and plenty of time left to kill on the shot clock. But he was wide open – and shooters do one thing very well – shoot. Therefore Ali decided to let it fly and as a result he was the most celebrated player in the country this weekend. His made 3-pointer put the Jayhawks down for the count! Some have called this one of the greatest upsets in tournament history. (Yet I need to brag a bit – I had the upset predicted in the brackets I filled out.)
Ali took the shot because that is what he is trained to do. As it is he is a hero. If he would have missed everyone would have called the shot a mistake and he would have been the goat. Personally I was thrilled as he took the shot (even before I saw it go in.) He did what he knew was right with no regard to the potential negative consequences.
I think we can learn from the guts that Ali showed. In our Christian lives we need to mature to the point that we do what is right because it is right, with no regard to the potential consequences, even if it goes against the crowd or could result in us being ridiculed or persecuted. It is time we take a stand for our God!
I obviously think of David facing a seemingly insurmountable foe in Goliath. Yet this young man trusted God. I think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they were getting ready to enter the fiery furnace – their response says it all. They knew God could protect them and save them, yet were also willing to die if that is what it took. The following verses in Daniel 3 say it clearly:
17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
In a nutshell the boys simply set their minds to do what is right! Let it be known who you represent!
No, I am not talking about Muhammed Ali and boxing; I am talking about Ali Forokhmanesh from Northern Iowa University and his “knockout punch” on the Kansas Jayhawks in their second round matchup in the NCAA tournament.
This was a game where the mighty Jayhawks were expected not only to win, but to win convincingly. The Jayhawks were the unanimous number 1 team in the country heading into the tournament. The Jayhawks were the overall number 1 seed of the tournament. The Northern Iowa Panthers were the winners of the Missouri Valley Conference and not expected to have a chance against the winners of the Big 12. This was a true David vs. Goliath matchup.
Yet with 37 seconds on the clock and clinging to a 1-point lead, Northern Iowa’s 6’0” guard, Ali Forokhmanesh, found himself standing wide open, ball in hand, at the three-point line. The normal thought process is to hold the ball to take time off the clock. They had the lead and plenty of time left to kill on the shot clock. But he was wide open – and shooters do one thing very well – shoot. Therefore Ali decided to let it fly and as a result he was the most celebrated player in the country this weekend. His made 3-pointer put the Jayhawks down for the count! Some have called this one of the greatest upsets in tournament history. (Yet I need to brag a bit – I had the upset predicted in the brackets I filled out.)
Ali took the shot because that is what he is trained to do. As it is he is a hero. If he would have missed everyone would have called the shot a mistake and he would have been the goat. Personally I was thrilled as he took the shot (even before I saw it go in.) He did what he knew was right with no regard to the potential negative consequences.
I think we can learn from the guts that Ali showed. In our Christian lives we need to mature to the point that we do what is right because it is right, with no regard to the potential consequences, even if it goes against the crowd or could result in us being ridiculed or persecuted. It is time we take a stand for our God!
I obviously think of David facing a seemingly insurmountable foe in Goliath. Yet this young man trusted God. I think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they were getting ready to enter the fiery furnace – their response says it all. They knew God could protect them and save them, yet were also willing to die if that is what it took. The following verses in Daniel 3 say it clearly:
17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
In a nutshell the boys simply set their minds to do what is right! Let it be known who you represent!
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