I watched a really good movie recently, entitled "Reggie's Prayer" (see link below). It stars the late Reggie White, or "Minister of Defense" as he was known during his football days, and also includes Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) for you Karate Kid fans!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDftgi_nciE
There are a number of takeaways from the movie, and what follows are a few of them that stand out:
The ring ain't the thing - goin' to higher ground
Jesus said it this way:
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 12:34)
Striving for earthly treasures will always, at some point, leave us high and dry. Sometimes it's a matter of hours, sometimes days, sometimes years, but the end result is always the same. Temporary things can never bring lasting fulfillment - only eternal things can do that. Our nature is to seek after what (we think) is best for us at all costs.......left to our own desires, none of us would choose the things of eternal value.
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;
there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Their throat is an open sepulchre;
with their tongues they have used deceit;
the poison of asps is under their lips:
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Destruction and misery are in their ways:
And the way of peace have they not known:
There is no fear of God before their eyes."
(Romans 3:10-18)
So how do we avoid the trap of our self-serving nature?
We don't.......because we can't. Instead we must submit to the only One who can, and did, and will.......Jesus Christ. He is our Coach, and He is the only One who can lead us to the higher ground.
It's not about naming our prize (what we want) and claiming it. It's about submitting to our Father and trusting His path for us. He is the Potter - we are the clay.
"But now, O LORD, thou art our Father;
we are the clay, and Thou our Potter;
and we all are the work of Thy hand."
(Isaiah 64:8)
Commitment
Commitment requires us to step out, in faith, and show up where God has called us to be. And once we have taken that first step, we need to take the next one, and the one after that, and so forth. Always moving forward with Him - always staying behind Him.
In Jesus's words:
".......If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
(Matthew 16:24)
We are not going to be perfect followers - whether it be the ditch of self-ambition, or the hole of self-doubt, we will find ourselves stuck in one or the other at some point during our journey.......and the only way out will be to look to Him, and follow His lead to the higher ground.
Simple to say, harder to do - but we will eventually learn.......because He is always faithful!
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to His purpose.
For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn of many brethren.
Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called:
and whom He called, them He also justified:
and whom He justified, them He also glorified.
What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us?"
(Romans 8:28-31)
"Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it."
(1 Thessalonians 5:24)
A champion is never afraid of failure
When we're wearing the helmet of salvation, chin strap on and buckled tight, we will have peace. When we're not, we won't.......and we will get our bell rung accordingly!
Our salvation is secure in Jesus Christ, and in Him alone. Nothing can take that away. We are His, and He will never let us go!
In His own words:
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:
And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.
My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all;
and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand.
I and My Father are one."
(John 10:27-30)
"These things I have spoken unto you,
that in Me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
He is the Champion - not us. If we begin to focus on anything else, we allow fear to gain a foothold and will lose sight of our victory in Christ. Our way leads us off the field - His way leads us into the end zone.
When we find ourselves stuck in the ditch, or down in a hole, we need to heed the words of the apostle Paul and get back into position:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God."
(Romans 12:1-2)
Who are we playing for?
Let's follow our Coach to the higher ground.......game on!
#BelieveInJesusChristToLive
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#DoingTheRightThing
(Last Updated 7/13/2022)