When my grandpa was 82 years old, he gave his life to the Lord. An avid sportsman all his life, his fondest memories were of playing football, and that was the analogy he used when he told me about the experience. He said, "Now Jesus is my quarterback. He's calling all my plays."
We had a game on TV the other day and I was watching the plays, calling out advice from my rocking chair. The team, of course, didn't listen to me. And they didn't listen to the thunderous noise around them. Instead, they entered into the traditional huddle before each play so they could hear what the quarterback had to say. And they carried out his plan - not the advice being shouted from the stands - to the best of their ability.
I was reminded of that as I meditated upon my morning scripture reading (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17). Paul was writing to the church in Thessalonica, a Greek seaport, to a group of people who had turned to God from idols and who went on to endure successive attacks from barbarians who tried to stamp out their faith. In Paul's letter, you might say he was in the locker room with them at halftime, encouraging the "team."
We had a game on TV the other day and I was watching the plays, calling out advice from my rocking chair. The team, of course, didn't listen to me. And they didn't listen to the thunderous noise around them. Instead, they entered into the traditional huddle before each play so they could hear what the quarterback had to say. And they carried out his plan - not the advice being shouted from the stands - to the best of their ability.
I was reminded of that as I meditated upon my morning scripture reading (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17). Paul was writing to the church in Thessalonica, a Greek seaport, to a group of people who had turned to God from idols and who went on to endure successive attacks from barbarians who tried to stamp out their faith. In Paul's letter, you might say he was in the locker room with them at halftime, encouraging the "team."
What kind of a pep talk did he give?
