Mar
23
Stand the Test
Filed Under Devotional
It occurred to me the other day that there is a continuum of just how physical and violent sports can be. My favorite sports fall all along that line.
I can enjoy a close round of golf as much as the next guy. The last day of the Masters can get pretty exciting. Of course, golf is simply not a contact sport.
Baseball gets a little more. The runner often tries to disrupt the shortstop to break up the double-play. It’s an exciting play to see the runner collide with the catcher intending to knock the ball loose. Still, the contact is uncommon and not the point of the game.
Football can easily be place at the other end of the scale. There is full-on effort by most guys on the field to drop the other guys on the field. If you end up on your back with your ears ringing, it’s just a good tackle. That’s physical play.
In between, there’s basketball. It’s clearly a full-contact sport, but just how much pushing and shoving is allowed changes from night to night depending on the officiating.
Still, there is always a game-within-the-game in regards to who is being more physical. There’s a psychological battle to intimidate or cow the opponent. When a team that has been knocked for not being physical starts to fight back a little, they are praised for playing gritty, tough, and playoff-style basketball. There is value in standing your ground and not allowing yourself to be knocked off your game.
The players on these teams will have scratches, bruises, lumps, and many, many ice packs after the game. But, if they bond as a team, gain an identity, and starting winning, it’s worth it. They have weathered the storm and stood the test.
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12
I have this picture in my head that when we see our Savior on that last day, we will be lining up with smiling faces to humbly greet Him. There will be a long line of joyful folks with spiritual cuts and bruises. We’ll be wearing the marks of surviving life on earth.
Let me be clear, we cannot stand the test alone. This is not a measure of machismo. This is a measure of dependance on Christ.
But, when you depend on Him, He will give you the ability to stand the test. I want to experience the exhilaration of standing the test.
Do you?