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| Enduring for the prize. |
While I only saw the sobs of the
finale, apparently there is activity prior to the last game. It seems that long before the final game, there
are brackets for this March Madness on
which people try to guess which teams will be eliminated and which will make it
through to the end. Of course, at this starting point they don’t
yet know the outcome, but based upon past performance – record, if you will –
they try to anticipate the future performance of their chosen teams, and record
their predictions for future bragging rights.
Through this process many, many watch from the sidelines and on media
reports to follow the status of their favorites. The games are hard fought, often have
injuries that sideline players, but each player strives to give their very best
efforts for the cause of their team, until the last game proves one
winner. Congratulations! You won the prize “blue team”!
Our lives follow much the same
pattern. As Christians, we commit to be
part of a team (the Jesus team) working toward a common goal – becoming more
like Him, and showing and leading others to the knowledge of Him. We have a whole team of both new and
experienced members, who are committed and working together.
Preparation is key. You
will be assigned a position based upon your abilities, but you must attend
practice. You must be conditioned to
develop the strength necessary for the position. Don’t wait until the final to start
training. Your coach (the Holy Spirit)
will give you and teach you exactly what you need to accomplish your task.
You must learn and obey the rules. You will be disqualified if you don’t. Ignorance of a rule will not be an excuse to
defer the referees from administering the appropriate consequence. Listen to your coach. Have godly mentors around you who will guide
you in making proper decisions. STUDY
the Bible; 1) in order to find and know the will of God, and 2) so that you will not be deceived.
You will encounter opposition. There will be those who want to defeat,
deceive, discourage and distract you. Tune them out and listen to the coach. He sees the bigger picture, and knows your strengths
and weaknesses. He will always be there
for you. He is far greater than your
opposition, and has your best interest at heart – ALWAYS.
You are not alone. There are many in the stands watching. Therefore;
be careful to listen to and follow
the instructions from the coach,
be an example of endurance and
obedience to your team mates,
be careful to not hurt the
team,
be a good representative of
your team to the spectators, and
Hang on. There is a prize at
the end. Don’t give up. The
bracket has been finalized. The Jesus
team wins. If you are a part of the
team, you have been equipped and have a job to do. Therefore, endure and persevere to the
end. Paul spoke of pressing on toward
the goal line as in crossing the finish line of a foot race. When we focus on the finish line and the prize
it is much easier to persevere through the training, the “boos”, the fatigue
and the distractions, especially when we already KNOW who wins!
The clock is ticking.
If you haven’t found your coach, and your place of service, there is
still time. The clock is ticking,
however. The time to follow Jesus is
today, before the final buzzer sounds. After that, a heavenly prize awaits for the
Jesus team, and punishments await the others.
The results will be final and eternal.
At the end there will be weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth for the
losers, and great rejoicing for the winners who persevered.
Father how I pray for those in the midst of the battle now. I pray their persecution will serve to make
them even stronger for Your service, and of great encouragement to those who
are on the sidelines, waiting for their turn.
How thankful I am for those who have gone before me, such as Abraham -
who showed such great faith. Help us to
have the faith of Abraham evidenced by our obedience. For all those reading this and still
uncommitted, I pray You will show them Your desire and plan for their lives. We thank You for being here with us in every
situation, to show us the way.
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