READY:
“I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6
SET:
It’s the last week of your middle school sport career. You’ve had a great run, played the best season you’ve ever played, and now it’s time to move up to high school sports. You have expectant joy to see what lies ahead for you, but you can’t seem to quiet a small nagging voice of dread in your mind. You’re afraid it won’t carry over. What if you were good in the middle school arena and that was it? High school sports are a higher level; what if you can’t step up?
Hear me clearly: how will you know if you give up before you get there? My one regret from middle school and high school was not having enough confidence to try out for school teams. I robbed myself of a shot because I didn’t take it. The solution is to take the shot; take it and if you miss it, go for the rebound and try again. My favorite thing about God is that He is a God of the Rebounds. He constantly coaches us to move forward and to never give up, to never let failure have the final say in our lives.
God never gives up on us. There have been times in my life where I’ve done the unthinkable and my flesh tells me God won’t ever look my way again. And yet, through confession and repentance I look up and there He is with His hand outstretched ready to lead me again. He truly is the Coach who doesn’t give up on His team.
The saying goes: “There’s a difference between a sheep that slips in the mud and a swine who wallows in it.” We as disciples of Christ are sheep that stumble, not pigs that wallow. It’s important for us to remember that God is the One who started a good work in us. And if He is the one who started it, He will be the One to carry it to completion. He has factored in our stumbling; He knows His sheep.
We have a Great Shepherd, a Coach, whose staff can reach into the deepest pits to rescue us from our wandering (Psalm 23:4). That same Shepherd is able to lead us through life, continuing His good work in us, carrying it to completion. Matthew 28:20 tells us God is with us always, until the end of the age. He says He will carry it to completion. May we all let Him do the carrying as we follow behind Him in His path.
GO:
Name one of your life’s biggest victory rebound shots.
What part of Psalm 23 comforts you most and why?
WORKOUT:
OVERTIME:
"Heavenly Father, thank You for not giving up on me, rebound after rebound. Thank You for being a constant in a world of change. In Jesus' name, amen.”