Reach for the Goal...Tuesday

7/29/14 

Football season is almost upon us. For those of you who enjoy the game as much as I do, you are most likely eagerly awaiting the first pre-season game. Hopefully, all the hard work your team has endured while at training camp pays off and leads to the play-offs.

During training camp football players need to work very hard. They endure many long days and oftentimes experience broken bones, torn ligaments, bruised shins, and other bodily injuries. Christians are a lot like football players. New babes in Christ who think that following Jesus will be like a walk in the park may find themselves terribly disappointed. Christians are not immune to trials and tribulations, persecution or pain. Jesus even made it clear that we would suffer to some extent. Trials and tribulation tests our faith, makes us stronger, and causes us to lean upon God.

 James 1:2-4 says, 

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 

for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, 

lacking in nothing.”

Each time a football player practices or plays in a game, he must wear protective gear; shoulder pads, mouth guards, and helmets, to name a few. Christians also need to put on spiritual armor every day; the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. We are constantly in a spiritual battle and must take advantage of the tools God has given us to keep the enemy at bay.

Ephesians 6:11 explains, 

“Put on the whole armor of God, 

that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

Football players are always in the spotlight. The news media loves to disclose a player’s personal life to the public. Christians are always in the spotlight too. Non-believers are constantly watching us, waiting for us to stumble. The lost are looking to follow somebody. Although we are not perfect, we must do our best to set a good example, to make the non-believers start to wonder, and to lead the lost in the right direction.

2 Timothy 2:15 reads, 

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, 

a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

Football players strive to get the ball over the goal line and score a touchdown. The ultimate desire is to be victorious in the game. Christians have a goal to achieve as well. They desire to win the race and be victorious. They long to hear, “Well done my child, enter in.”

Finally, like football players, Christians must work together in order to be successful. A quarterback cannot win the game by himself, nether can a wide receiver, or a running back. They must all work together. Let us do our best to be great “team” players that work together, lift each other up, and set good examples so that we may reach our ultimate goal.

Written by

Storm Hendrickson