Congratulations-we all made it through another Super Bowl Commercial Extravaganza, which this year fortunately kept getting interrupted by a great football game. As a Christian, don't you love it when Saints win? And I enjoyed the game, because I didn't watch any hoopla the week before, you know all the false predictions from old players struggling to put words together to form a sentence, and inside info on the woman who walks the dog of the coach's neighbor who used to know his wife in high school-important stuff like that. But on NFL channel, while surfing I watched Super Bowl 3, and was more impressed to watch Joe Namath than ever before-and his team.
Unlike today, where all plays are called from the booth, by a coach, Joe called his in the huddle. But I bet you didn't know he changed 50-80% of them at the line of scrimmage. After reading the defense, he would change the play to meet the situation. And with a great deal of success. But it took communication and trust from the other ten guys on the field with him. And because of this, they grew together as a team. I wonder how many lineman seeing the same thing Joe did, smiled in their helmet as he changed the play at the line of scrimmage, knowing just what to do and why. How many receivers after telling Joe in the huddle, when they show that formation, I can get a step on him on a slant pattern. And Joe filed it away, and then called the play-and as a team they put it into motion. Not always with success, for their competitor was equally as strong-it came down to execution-and who wanted to win more. But trust for their play caller, and from him too.
As I watch today, I wonder why do so many teams continue to run off left tackle, when they lose yards each time? Don't they get it? And I am amazed at how many of us approach God the same way. Same church, same service, same songs, and the same boring message. No wonder your mind wanders, and soon your body, and you quit church. God has a plan for your life-and doesn't reveal the whole thing at once. If He did, you wouldn't follow it anyway, because the road will have many bumps in it-life 101. And you would exit at the before the next bump, not realizing the exit has worse dangers in it. But His daily bread, that He gives you fresh each day, keeps you in the huddle-church-and in contact with Him. Then as you go about your day-approaching the line of scrimmage-and situations change, He allows the flexibility in His spirit, to change, not your walk, but to adapt to what is in front of you. To stay in communication with Him by listening-funny how we expect Him to listen to our prayers, but fail to listen to His replies. And as we adapt ourselves to the situation, we find the play called in the huddle may not have worked, but the audible did-so we listen more.
And we find ourselves trusting Him more, and also knowing His character-so when a similar situation comes up, we know how He wants us to react, and we do because of our relationship with Him.
But there are three key ingredients to each play called in the huddle. Mercy-God will not give us what we deserve based on what we have done-a good thing. Grace-He will give us what we don't deserve-a good thing also. But in all things He shows us love-not because of who we are, or what we have done-but because of who He is, and what Jesus has done.
Start your day in the huddle every morning-it's called prayer. Listen for that audible voice, that just like Joe's could be heard through the crowd, and his teammates knew-God's voice comes through loud and clear despite your surroundings when you know it. And He tells us as He is the great shepherd, and we are His sheep, we will hear His voice. And stay in the playbook-the Bible!
Jesus Christ-son of God-on three-ready break! Remember we are all just one play away from victory-heaven!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com