Lesson Learned from Michigan State Football

As those who know me are aware, I am not a sports fan. Every now and again, though, I get caught up in a game my husband and/or sons are watching.  This fall, I became mildly interested in Michigan State football because my son attends school there and I was happy they earned a spot in the Big Ten Championship game.  I only watched maybe five minutes of the actual game, but I rooted  for them from afar as I worked on my computer and eventually laid myself down to sleep.

After the game ended, my son came to my bedroom and informed me Michigan State had won in the last 30 seconds of the game.  I wanted to see that last play, but sleep won over curiosity.  The next morning, I watched the clip of those final seconds.  What I saw brought tears to my eyes.  Seriously. 

Michigan State, up to those last 30 or so seconds was losing the game.  They needed to score.  The quarterback started the play and handed the ball to the running back, L.J. Scott.  Only a few yards, stood between him and victory.  He ran to the right looking for an opening.  However, as he ran, Iowa defenders blocked his way until eventually they caught him just shy of the goal line.  When it looked to me like he was not going to break through their grip, he spins around with Iowa’s defenders clutching his body and stretches his body and arm with the ball across the goal line.  Touchdown!  Game won! 

At that moment, I had nothing but love and admiration for the freshman running back.  His determination and strength blew me away.  But more than anything, his ability to focus in the midst of being surrounded by numerous Iowa defenders deeply moved me.  My perception was that he was not discouraged or distracted by the blocks in his way or the defenders holding his body.  His focus was on getting that ball across the line and winning the game.  He did not give in.  

What quickly came to mind is how many of us, in our efforts to succeed at whatever endeavor we are pursuing, fall into discouragement or get distracted by the obstacles, hindrances, roadblocks, and/or naysayers.  Some of us are so close.  So close to victory.  So close to winning.  So close to overcoming.  So close to grasping what we have worked so hard for.  Yet, just as in this game, the closer we get, the more intense the enemy gets.  He doesn’t want us to have victory.  He wants us to hold our heads down in defeat. 

Oh that we would be like L. J. Scott and just stay focused on getting across that line.  If only we would not give in to the opposition we are facing, but PRESS through it and do whatever we can to reach the goal. If only we would keep our eyes on the prize and not the obstacles.  We may have to stretch ourselves (i.e. be uncomfortable, do things we wouldn’t normally) to get there, but as this young man has shown us, it can be done.

Lord give us the strength, determination and focus to cross the goal line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ezV3e7uCoY

Why God Sometimes Answers No

One of my aunts passed away, and I, my husband (Tim), youngest son (Quentin) and newly married daughter (Kelley) were planning to drive to my hometown for her funeral.  Our family vehicle is a nine-year-old, rusted, gas-guzzling mini-van which needs over a thousand dollars of repairs.  Understandably, my ever-cautious husband preferred to make the trip in my daughter’s brand new compact car.    So about three days before departure, he kindly asked her if we could drive her car to the funeral.  To our disappointment, she politely said, “No.”  My husband then took the van to a mechanic to have some things checked out before we put it on the highway for the 280–mile day trip. 

The day before our scheduled departure, as my family enjoyed cake and ice cream around our dining room table for my birthday, Tim, in a last ditch effort, asked Kelley again if we could use her car.  She replied, “No, I think we should use the van.”  Once again, we felt let down, but respected her decision because, well, it is her car.  She can do whatever she wants with it.

We instructed Kelley to arrive at our house before 9:00 a.m. so we could be on the road by then.  She complained about that being too early, so we suggested she just spend the night with us.  She declined that as well.  We understood.  After all, she does have a husband.

The next morning, as Tim and I were getting ready in our upstairs bedroom, we heard the front door open downstairs and footsteps in the living room.  Of course, that must have been Kelley, and we mumbled that to each other as we rushed around the room preparing for the trip. 

Our bedroom door was open, but I was standing near the back side of the door and could not see anyone approaching or entering the doorway.  I heard a voice from the other side of the door saying, “You all aren’t ready yet?”  I assumed it was Kelley, but the voice did not sound like Kelley’s.  Confused, I turned expecting to see Kelley come in the room, but to my utter surprise, it was not Kelley.  It was my daughter, Christen, who currently lives in New Jersey!  I screamed in shock.  Then I just wrapped my arms around her and cried for a minute.  Christen is the only one of our five children who does live near us, so we don’t get the blessed privilege of seeing her as often as we see our other children.

Kelley then entered the room and said, “This is why I couldn’t spend the night. I had to pick her up last night at the airport.  This is also why I couldn’t let you use my car.  There wouldn’t have been enough room for all of us.”  Out of that, I learned a very valuable lesson about answers to prayers.

There are times when we pray and ask God for things—things which seem good.  Using our daughter’s brand new car seemed like a better idea than using our old problem-ridden van.  It was probably less risky and certainly less expensive to drive.  Yes, for sure it seemed like a good thing to ask.  But sometimes God says, “No,” just as Kelley did.  And sometimes that "no" is hard to take.  “Why would God say no?” we wonder in disappointment.  Maybe because He doesn’t love me.  Maybe He doesn’t care.  Maybe He just wants me to suffer.   

Kelley loves us and she cares, but she said no because she knew something better was going to happen for us and we would need the space in the van.  She knew when we saw Christen, driving the van would not matter at all.  Our daughter was coming home, and we would do whatever we had to do, even drive the van, to accommodate her.    The same holds true for God.  He does love us.  He does care.  But He knows and sees things that we do not.  He knows what we are asking for is good, but He also knows, something better is on the way.  

And of course, we made it safely to our destination and home again.

God, help us trust You.  Help us have assurance that your thoughts toward us are thoughts of peace and not of evil, and that you want to give us a hope and a future.  Oh for grace to trust Him more.