Quarterback/Receiver Communication

Have you ever watched a football game and seen a football thrown without a receiver in sight? If it is a team you are rooting for, you may have found yourself saying “What are you doing?”. The pass is usually either incomplete or intercepted by the defense. The television cameras often pan to a scene where the quarterback and receiver are trying to figure out what happened.

Football commentators will tell you such throws are often the receiver’s fault. With God as our quarterback we never have to wonder where the fault is because God is always on the right page. We are told in Deuteronomy 32:4 that God “is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all His ways are just” (also see Psalm 145:17, Hosea 14:9, and John 14:6). We, on the other hand, are not perfect and may 1) break off the route due to fear or lack of faith or 2) not know the proper route because we haven't spent enough time in the playbook.

We are told in Joshua 22:5 to “...love the Lord you God, to walk in all His ways, to obey His commands, to hold fast to him and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” That may sound pretty daunting, but we are to ask for help like those before us. Moses put forth a humble request to the Lord, “...teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you...” (Exodus 33:13). David echoed this request in Psalm 86:11, “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” If two members of the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11) ask God for direction in His ways, why are we so stubborn to figure things out by ourselves?

Remember, saying I don't have enough time is not an acceptable excuse. Are you saying that God failed to meet your needs? If so, Matthew 6:33 and 7:7 offer a strong rebuttal. So, let's get our noses in the playbook so we know the plays God wants us to execute on the field of everyday life.

Playing with the Hand You're Dealt

Maybe you've heard about some of the professional football players (i.e. Chad Johnson, Antwan Boldin, Steven Jackson) who haven't been happy with their contracts this off-season. Implicit in their demands for higher paying contracts is the sentiment, “I'd be happy if the team would only pay me what I'm worth”. Or maybe there's a player on your favorite sports team who says they want a bigger role. Maybe it is one of your colleagues at work saying “if only I were in charge of things” or one of your friends saying how things would be great if that “one thing” in their life would get fixed...it sounds so simple, right?

God is clear that we are not all dealt the same hand of cards in this game of life (Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:12-28). If you would like to have more responsibility, be faithful with God has given you...then He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come share in your master's happiness!”. If you want God to be unpleased with you, bemoan your circumstances and just try to hold on to the little bit you've been given. We are also warned that the stakes go up when we are given more by God, as we also inherit more responsibility (Luke 12:48). So let's be faithful with what we have been given and God will be faithful in granting us additional opportunities for us to show off His glory.

Following the Playbook

Have you ever not done something that you know you should do? Maybe it is because you have too much on your mind and you forgot or it is something you just didn't place enough importance on or you thought someone else would take care of it. Regardless of the reason, it was something you should have done and you didn't do it. I know that I have overcommitted myself before and not been able to fulfill all of my commitments. Maybe it is as simple as not paying attention to a friend saying they need someone to hang out with or talk to.

Jesus told us that when we mistreat others though our lack of action, that we treat Him the same way (Matthew 26:41-45). We are taught to provide simple, honest answers (James 5:12)...and that God wants us to show others mercy (Hosea 6:6). Jesus is a great example of how using the playbook and video room (the Bible) and continual communication with the Father makes the knowing and doing the right thing so natural. It is kind of like someone who has never seen a football playbook can't understand much of the information inside...but it makes more and more sense when the person spends more time in it and talks to the writer/creator of the playbook...of course, seeing the playbook executed is helpful as well. God will continually prepare us for His use if we will let Him...unlike football, helping meet people's needs and pointing them towards Him isn't a one day a week game...it's an on-call 24/7 thing.

Meatloaf and Manna

Have you ever been to a dinner table and heard the expression "Oh no…meatloaf again" (feel free to insert your own dish here)? The Israelites complained about eating manna every day and not having meat to eat (Numbers 11:6). They were so frustrated that they claimed they would be better off back in Egypt (Numbers 11:18). Obviously, the Israelites were so frustrated that they forgot that God delivered them from Egypt by parting the Red Sea and drowning the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:26-31) and the promised land still to be given to them (Exodus 4:16-17).

Before we say that we would never be like that, how often do we say how much better things would be if God would only give us this or that? What is it in your case…a raise, a promotion, a fancier car, a nicer place to live, more or better friends, a husband/wife, a child…something else? Have we forgotten what God has already done for us (John 3:16) and what He has promised to do for us (Jeremiah 29:11, John 14:1-4)?

The funny thing about thinking that anything other than God will complete our joy is that it will always leave us wanting more. Wyatt Earp asked in the movie Tombstone, "What makes a man like Ringo, Doc, makes him do the things he does?" To which Doc Holliday answers, "A man like Ringo got a has great empty hole running right through the middle of him...he can never kill enough, or steal enough, or inflict enough pain to ever fill it." Only God can make the joy of our salvation complete (Psalm 51:12) and our obedience to His commands allows us remain in His love (John 15:9-11).

Casey at Bat (alternate version)

Casey is up to bat in the bottom of the ninth with 2 outs and the bases loaded. His team is down by one run. Casey swings wildly at the first pitch, which is in the dirt. The second pitch arrives with the same result. Surely, mighty Casey won't strike out on 3 pitches the fans said…but alas Casey swung at the third pitch which bounced 5 feet in front of the plate.

How often do we want to come up with the big hit so desperately that we swing at the first thing that comes along? We think, "I've been put in this position to come up with the big hit"…right? Do you know what happens when we are focused and patient? The count of balls and strikes will turn in our favor. The pitcher is then faced with a choice. Either the pitcher walks in a run or gives us a better pitch to hit. Abraham tried to use a maidservant as a shortcut to God's promise of being made into a great nation (Genesis 17:17-22). Solomon could have trusted that God would provide His people with peace. Instead He married and Egyptian princess to barter a deal for peace (1 Kings 3:1) that ultimately would not last (1 Kings 11:11-13). It doesn't pay to be impatient.

What about us? Are we willing to trust God and follow His direction? Are we willing to take unconventional timetables or steps that may not follow our logic? It has been said that if we get ahead of God that He may not follow. Instead He tells us to remain in Him (John 15:4) and to take His yoke because it is easy (Matthew 11:30). Let's focus on following almighty God who always knows when it is time to swing and when it is time to take a pitch.

Conversation with a Russian Cab Driver

I'll probably never forget my first cab ride to Beverly Hills. I landed at LAX for a professional meeting. I had no idea that I was about to be in for a terrific conversation when my driver picked me up. While we were going through a Jewish community, we started talking about how if someone saved our lives from being shot with a bullet (run over by a vehicle, stabbed, etc.) how thankful we would be. We would be telling all of our friends, our family, and people we didn't even know. It wouldn't matter if it was in a church, board meeting, airport, or bar. And every time we saw something that reminded us of that person it would remind us of how lucky we are to be alive.

At that point, the switch was flipped. How often do we tell people about Jesus and what He has done for us? Do other people see the joy in our lives from the Holy Spirit living inside of us? Wouldn't we want to do everything we could to show Jesus how thankful we are for His sacrifice? Someone saving me from a bullet saves me temporarily from physical death…Jesus saves our souls permanently and offers us eternal life.

One way we can show our appreciation for what Jesus has done for us is to obey God's commands. Jesus told us to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). We are also told to pray without ceasing (1st Thessalonians 5:17), and to exhibit the "be" attitudes (Matthew 5:3-10). And when Jesus was asked the greatest commandment in the Law, He stated that we should "Love the Lord your God with all your hear and with all your soul and with all your mind…Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39). In other words, We have a lot to be thankful for…let's act like it.

Airline Miles

We like to earn things and be appreciated. The success of frequent flyer programs highlight this. Sometimes we can carry this consumer first analogy over to our relationship with God. We start listing off all the “great” things we have done for God and expect Him to come through with our “rewards”.

Do we really think God needs our help? Do we really think that we would be able to do anything significant without using the gifts that He has so freely given us? It’s kind of like a kid who gets an allowance from his/her parents and is so proud of what he/she “bought” for them.

So, serving God is not about racking up the airline miles. It’s not getting the gold star on the refrigerator for the day. It’s about loving our Lord and Savior because He first loved us even when we were still dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1-5). We deserve nothing and He has already given us everything we need (1st Corinthians 1:4-9). There’s no need for an airline miles program with God because He has already poured out His bountiful blessings on us. Let’s get out of the rat race of what we want so we serve God out of love and respect.

The Receiver’s Mentality

Have you ever noticed how many receivers always want the ball? Have you noticed how some receivers will pout, get angry, and even quit playing as hard because they are not getting the ball as much as they want?

These receivers sometimes say “I want the ball because I give my team the best chance to win.” How arrogant is this? Do these receivers honestly think that their coaches and quarterbacks are trying to sabotage their chance of winning? How poorly must they think of the other receivers and running backs on their team in order to say this?

Now turn the switch…how often do we act like one of these receivers with God? How often do we say that I want what I want, when I want it and not a moment later? How often do we pout, get angry with God, or excuse ourselves for disobeying Him because we feel that He “didn’t answer our prayers”? Did we ever consider that God has other options available that we might not have considered? Did we ever consider that maybe we aren’t ready for the option we want so badly and need more training? Is the route we want to run an option that pleases God? Are we loafing because the ball wasn’t thrown our way recently?

God is the greatest quarterback and wants to use all Christians that make themselves available for His use. However, he won’t use us when we aren’t willing to following His play calls or take plays off when we don’t feel like we are being used properly. It’s a beautiful sight to see a quarterback pick apart a defense. God is able to plow through the defense on His own, but He wants to use us as part of His game plan. So, let’s accept God’s gracious offer to use us as tools to accomplish His great work.

The Ultimate Quarterback

Have you ever watched a football game and seen a receiver leap in the air for a pass thrown over the middle? This type of play especially catches my attention when the defender(s) is (are) ready to knock the receiver’s head off. The amount of trust the receiver places in the quarterback is huge (as his career could be ended by a huge hit on any given play…and this play is particularly risky to the receiver). The quarterback certainly doesn’t want to the receiver to get hit (or hurt) for no purpose. However, making a large gain sometimes comes at a cost (whether it is a hard hit that requires extra time in the whirlpool the following week or a serious injury).

God is the greatest quarterback because he knows what is needed to advance His kingdom. His passes are always on target for the route we are supposed to run. Missed opportunities (incompletions) only occur when we run the wrong route (being in our will instead of God’s) or when we see the defenders lurking (challenges in the world) and refuse to leap in the air for the ball (lack of faith). There are times when our bodies and mind may be rattled by the hits put on us by the defenders, but our obedience advances God’s cause. However, if a Christian’s career on Earth is ended in serving God (dying in the firm grip of His will), he/she has contributed to something much greater than the game of football. God can use our witness long after we have played our last play on Earth (see the account of Stephen’s death in Acts 7:54-60 which led to the conversion of Saul in Acts 9:1-30 as an example).

So, the real question is who (or what) are we willing to leap over the middle for? Do you trust God enough to follow His will? What about when it looks like doom and gloom are all around and just waiting to pounce? Are we willing to pay the temporary price it may take to work as tools for the greatest quarterback of all time to lead His team (that He created…least I forget that God is also the Coach, GM, and owner of His team) to victory? He’s already won the game (so our obedience or lack thereof won’t affect the final outcome), but wouldn’t it be great to be able to be a tool and catch some passes from the greatest quarterback of all time and advance His cause?