Ready:
"With you I can attack a barricade, and with my God I can leap over a wall.” —Psalm 18:29
Set:
Sports history remembers February 22, 1980, as the “Miracle on Ice.” That day, the underdog U.S. Olympic Hockey Team—amateurs and college players—faced a Soviet Union hockey machine, stacked with seasoned professionals and winners of four straight Olympic gold medals. But heart, grit, and unity turned this 1000:1 Cinderella team into Giant Killers. In one of the greatest upsets in sports, the U.S. won 4–3 and went on to capture Lake Placid gold. That moment has inspired athletes everywhere—reminding us that sometimes underdogs overcome!
The Bible has its own “Miracle on Ice” moments. Psalm 18 is David’s victory song. Written after God delivered him from all his enemies, he declares, “With you I can attack a barricade, and with my God I can leap over a wall.” David’s hymn recounts the victories of an underdog who beat impossible odds. He defeated Goliath and Saul. He conquered the Amalekites fortifications. He battled the larger, better armed forces of the Philistines. Over and over, David’s conquests show how godly character and God’s power overcame impossible obstacles (2 Samuel 22).
Basketball legend Michael Jordan once said, “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” The Apostle John offers a similar truth, “Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The choice is ours—fixate on the obstacle or focus on God who turns obstacles into opportunities.
The “Miracle on Ice” happened once. David’s “miracles” happened repeatedly—before and after he became king. His life shows a pattern: impossible obstacles→ God’s intervention→ Decisive victory. And now, the same God who helped David leap over walls, offers help for you to overcome impossible obstacles… today and tomorrow.
Go:
Can you recall a time when God helped you overcome a challenge that felt impossible?
Where in your life or sport do you need to depend less on your own strength and more on God’s?
Whether favorite or underdog, how can you keep a humble, God-dependent mindset?
Workout:
Overtime:
“My Father and my Coach, Your Spirit strengthens, helps and upholds me in easy and hard times. Keep me from overlooking Your presence and power when times are tough and obstacles seem overwhelming. Amen.”