The Football Champ

He was a high school football player and he was drawing a lot of attention.  He could run fast, throw the ball with accuracy, and tackle with intended result – stop the opposition.  The TV sports reporter asked him how he came to be so good.  The teen answered, “I put in a lot of practice.”  His mother, standing nearby added, “He worships the game.”  Now, the player’s mother wasn’t actually meaning her son worshipped football like a god; the remark was intended to highlight her son’s love of and commitment to the game, but it got me to thinking about what we love and are committed to concerning our relationship with God.

This football player was indeed committed and he did put in a lot of practice.  There is no way he could be so fast, accurate and strong in defense without practice, and lots of it.  To be a good football player and to maintain excellence, practice is essential.  It’s the same in our spiritual world.

Our arch enemy, Satan, is always opposing us.  He attacks us with lies seeking to bring us down emotionally and spiritually.  An effectual counter attack can only come with practice.  I love a simple but powerful verse in James 4:8, “…come close to God and God will come close to you…”  The preceding verse tells us, “Humble yourselves before God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  It’s rather like football.

The opposing running back is coming.  There must be contact to bring the opposition down.  There must be a tackle before the enemy on the sports field flees — for a while.  He always comes back, just like our arch enemy, but as we practice, learning how to counter attack just like Jesus did, with the inerrant words of Scripture (Matthew 4:1-11) stating before the enemy, “It is written”  then satan cannot stand strong against God’s Word. He will be defeated time and time again.  Yes, he will come back for another attack, but the practiced player on the field is always ready.

When we mediate upon God’s Word, when we talk to God often throughout the day, we are “drawing near to Him.”  What happens then?  God’s Word tells us the enemy will flee.  It’s a constant battle, but winning is always on our side when we follow the coaching of the Holy Spirit.  When we draw near and worship, we become aware of God’s holiness.  We are reminded of the truth of Luke 1:37 that “with Him nothing is impossible.”

I hope we all practice and never stop training.  Never stop looking up.  Never stop calling out to Him.  Never stop worshipping Him for all He is and all He has done and always will do for us.  When we practice and follow our Holy Coach’s leading, we are always champions.