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.

Wish Lists

Do you ever just let your mind wander and let your imagination be a Christmas catalog? Once we start down that road, it is real easy to keep going and going. Instead, we are to be happy with what we have been given. I know that it is easy to get wants and needs mixed up sometimes...a fan may want his team to win by 100, but all the team needs to win is one more point than their opponent. Similarly, a player may want to hit a home run every time he steps up the plate...but sometimes a walk will work just fine.

Don't get me wrong here...I'm not saying that nice things or wish lists are automatically bad. However, we can get our priorities out of line and place our wish lists in front of God's plan for our lives. Before we get self-righteous and say “I deserve this”, remember that “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps (Proverbs 16:9)”. Jesus told his us God the Father “knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:8)...and Paul told us that “God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)”. Jesus also told the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21) where the rich man planned to do everything for his own benefit without consulting God...he wound up losing his life that very night. Let us be thankful for God giving us what we need and be in constant communication with Him to use what He has given for the benefit of His kingdom.

Mice and Men

Have you ever wanted something so bad that I drove your focus in all areas of life? I know I have. I thought I was leaving St. Louis for only one year after pharmacy school to get a view of the "outside world" and then return to St. Louis for my specialty residency and faculty position. Little did I know that God had much different plans for me that would take me to San Antonio for a year and then to Dallas. I wondered why roadblocks were keeping me away from St. Louis while applying for these positions…what I didn't realize is that I was about to find a great group church, fantastic group of friends, and wonderful career in Dallas. It turns out that the best laid plans of mice and men don't come close to stacking up to God's plans for us.

You might say, "Well, that's your opinion" or "you still didn't get what you asked for". True...but let me share a few examples with you to show God's consistency in His word. Jonah was quite unhappy with God for asking him to go to Nineveh and tried to run opposite of God's will (Jonah 1:1-3). God used this experience to teach Jonah about His compassion and for people (Jonah 4:1-11). David was not happy about being chased endlessly by his enemies, but God used his circumstances to teach David about God's unfailing love (Psalm 13:1-6)…David goes on in the next chapter to say how only the fool denies God. So, let us remember that God is with us not only on the mountaintop, but also in the valley...and He is worthy of our love, worship, and obedience in both places.

Mike Tyson and Focus

You may not think that Mike Tyson has anything to offer when it comes to being focused. You may think that someone who has had domestic violence issues and put a tattoo on his face has nothing to offer. However, one of his famous quotes, "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." offers some insights that we can utilize in our daily lives.

We usually think we have our plan in place to deal with temptation until it comes. Then we get hit in the mouth and think we have to rely on our own strength to overcome the temptation. James 4:8 says "Come near to God and He will come near to you". Psalm 23:5 tells us that the Lord prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies…so coming near to God doesn't mean that we no longer have enemies. Jesus provided us with the blueprint to overcome Satan's attacks: 1) be in consistent communication with the Father through prayer, 2) be familiar with His word, 3) remember that whose we are matters much more than who the world thinks we are (or thinks we should be). So, as the saying goes "practice makes perfect"…it is much easier to execute something in a game that a team has practiced over and over until it is second nature…so let's make our practice help our fight against temptation and not to work against us.

Field Trip

You might have heard that all NFL rookies are visiting the pro football hall of fame this year. This field trip was sparked by a suggestion from former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin that young players might be less likely to get in trouble if they had the opportunity to see that the game is bigger than them. Other potential benefits of such a trip include gaining an appreciation for the history of the game and committing to put in the work that is required to be truly great.

Have you visited the hall of fame lately? I'm not talking about any sports hall of fame, but instead about faith's hall of fame (Hebrews 11). It is certainly a reminder that 1) God's plan is bigger than any one of us; 2) God rewards those who demonstrate their faith through works; and 3) allows us an opportunity to commit to being faithful to God and allowing Him to show us the great life (maybe not great by the world's standards) that only He can give. Of course, just visiting (or working/volunteering for) a hall of fame doesn't make you a member of it. We have to put into work what we learn from those who have come before us. Let's go take a visit to the hall and then go and try to live up to the great examples laid out before us.