Ready:
“But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.” – Psalm 3:3
Set:
In 2019, a video went viral involving UCLA basketball players Moses Brown and Jaylen Hands. Moses had just made a pretty risky pass that led to a turnover. Just as he dropped his head in disappointment, Jaylen walked over and gently lifted Moses’ chin, pushing his head back up to encourage him on defense.
David was dealing with his own disappointment as he penned this psalm. His son Absalom had led a successful rebellion against him, causing many of his friends and trusted ones to turn against him. Right before he penned this verse he wrote, “Many say about me, ‘There is no help for him in God.’” David knew what the crowd was saying about him. And worse than that, he knew the crowd well because they personally betrayed him.
For David, he reminded himself of who lifts his head: THE LORD. For UCLA basketball, Moses’ head was lifted by Jaylen. For us, there will be times where others will lift our heads and there will be times where others are the reason our heads are down, and the LORD is the only faithful One present.
In both situations, we must remember to be David and Jaylen. We must look to the One who will never fail us as David did, processing the disappointment of others with the love of the Father present.
Our role as Christian athletes is to be Jaylen to those around us. To be LOOKING for opportunities to lift heads instead of being the reason others drop them. And if no one does that for us, its ok because our LORD is a shield about us, our glory, and the one who lifts our head.
Go:
Discuss a time when you were dejected or disappointed and someone encouraged you. Why do you remember that time?
How has God “lifted your head” in the past?
Whose head can you lift today that has dropped because of their own failure or because of the failure of others?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Heavenly Father, thank You for David showing us who we should go to first for the lifting of our head. Thank You for being present at our games and intervening when You see us in disappointment and heartbreak. Thank You for being an ever-present help in times of trouble. I love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”