By Jim MacDonald
Who’s Calling Your Plays
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder; —James 2:19 NIV
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. –1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV
Who is your favorite team? What team gets you fired up? What team lifts your emotions so high – or so low depending on how they performed that day? When they win a big game, how long does your joy last? And if they lose…how long are you totally depressed?
For me, it’s the Ohio State Buckeyes (football)…
Late spring and all summer long are by far, my favorite time of the year. When fall starts rolling around I can get a bit down thinking about winter being just around the corner. But my pill for overcoming the depression is knowing that we’re not far from those special Saturdays when the Buckeyes take the field for what’s always anticipated to be another great season.
Champions Run For God
When you get up in the morning, are you ready to run the game of life? Have you read your playbook (The Bible)? Have you done your stretching (prayer)? Are you ready to take on the competition you’ll be facing that day? When you suit up, are you confident that you can meet the challenges? Who is on your team and are they ready to play as well? Who is your head coach?
In writing to the church in Corinth, Paul talks not just about running the race but running the race to win the prize. Too many of us get up every morning and prepare to start the race of the day thinking we are prepared. And more than likely we are. But are we running to win the race? Or better yet, are we running to win the spiritual race? And is our focus on winning the little league trophy or are we striving to win the National Championship trophy?
As important, are we playing with the same emotional high as if our favorite team is about to win it all?
When we get to the starting line, our little league coach gives us the tasks for the day and we go out and perform to the best of our ability. We may or may not get the accolades we deserve but at least we know we’ll get our participation trophy (our paycheck) at the end of the week. And more often than not, it’s never enough.
We live in a lost world. A world where people believe there is a God, but their belief has no impact on their life. They’re not aware that the Son of God wants to have a personal relationship with them. Jesus wants to be their Head Coach. Jesus wants to call the plays. Those who run the plays as He called have always won the game. Jesus has never lost and He never will. Jesus is the perfect head coach.
Are You Running To Win
If you are on the team. Is God calling the plays or are you telling God “don’t worry, I got this?” We are called to run the race for the prize, and we are called to bring as many people with us to victory as possible. God already knows who’s on the team and ready to play. He also knows who is practicing and will be ready to play soon. Our job is to be a starter on the team and do what God has called us to do. Let’s accept the calling God has for us and go out and bring as many people onto this Championship Team as we can. He created each one of us to be winners. Let’s do it for Jesus!!
Have you been drafted or recruited by God for His eternal championship team? Are you studying God’s playbook? Have you asked God to put you in yet? If not, what on earth are you waiting for? God created you to win and all winners want to be on the best team. Come join God’s team…Jesus is waiting.