Stop Looking at the Score
For those of you who have been keeping track of sports lately, we may have seen one of the greatest NBA Finals performances in recent history. Both teams involved, the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, were loaded with young talent, and each had a story if they won. The biggest story to come out of the series was Game 4, when, after being down by 30 at one point, the Knicks roared back in the 4th quarter to win on a series of events that could only be described as miraculous.
Watching this reminded me of something about us as humanity, though – we all love a great comeback story. There is something about seeing someone down and out come back in a story of redemption that just gives us all hope. I, personally, have always loved a good underdog. Maybe that’s why I’m a Raiders fan…but that’s a story for another day.
One of the greatest comebacks written about in the Bible (outside of Jesus, that is) is found in Genesis in the story of Joseph. Genesis 50:20 reads “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done…” Joseph had been through his fair share of tests and trials mostly brought on by his own family. It was initiated by being sold into slavery. Then falsely accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He was thrown into jail, never to be heard from again, until God stepped in. It was fair to say he was counted out by everybody. But we realize that all of this was just a setup for the inevitable – Joseph would become second-in-command in Egypt and even save the region during a famine. He wasn’t SUPPOSED to accomplish this by man’s standards and ideals.
The same could be said about you. You have seen and been through many tests and trials in your lifetime. Many of you have been counted out by your own families or loved ones due to circumstances that were beyond your control. You have a hard time seeing the light in the darkness because your shame or guilt has imprisoned you for so long. The stars never seem to be aligned for you and the cards are not stacked in your favor.
But there is hope! Thankfully, we don’t believe in luck, coincidence, or happenstance. The scripture told us that what was intended to harm Joseph was what God intended for good to accomplish great things. The same is true for you. You have a purpose and a calling that can’t be denied or deterred by the laws of nature or the enemy. God is working things in your favor because you are his child. Even when you don’t see how you can win, you can come out on top if you will just trust His plan and see how he will walk you through it. The game plan may need to shift along the way, but adjustments are necessary to lock in the win.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
– 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Stop looking at the score. Play to the end and see what kind of miraculous comeback story you get to put in the books. And when that story comes, let it be a testimony of the goodness of God, giving Him the glory he deserves as the ultimate strategist in life.
- Pastor Thaddaeus
Watching this reminded me of something about us as humanity, though – we all love a great comeback story. There is something about seeing someone down and out come back in a story of redemption that just gives us all hope. I, personally, have always loved a good underdog. Maybe that’s why I’m a Raiders fan…but that’s a story for another day.
One of the greatest comebacks written about in the Bible (outside of Jesus, that is) is found in Genesis in the story of Joseph. Genesis 50:20 reads “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done…” Joseph had been through his fair share of tests and trials mostly brought on by his own family. It was initiated by being sold into slavery. Then falsely accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He was thrown into jail, never to be heard from again, until God stepped in. It was fair to say he was counted out by everybody. But we realize that all of this was just a setup for the inevitable – Joseph would become second-in-command in Egypt and even save the region during a famine. He wasn’t SUPPOSED to accomplish this by man’s standards and ideals.
The same could be said about you. You have seen and been through many tests and trials in your lifetime. Many of you have been counted out by your own families or loved ones due to circumstances that were beyond your control. You have a hard time seeing the light in the darkness because your shame or guilt has imprisoned you for so long. The stars never seem to be aligned for you and the cards are not stacked in your favor.
But there is hope! Thankfully, we don’t believe in luck, coincidence, or happenstance. The scripture told us that what was intended to harm Joseph was what God intended for good to accomplish great things. The same is true for you. You have a purpose and a calling that can’t be denied or deterred by the laws of nature or the enemy. God is working things in your favor because you are his child. Even when you don’t see how you can win, you can come out on top if you will just trust His plan and see how he will walk you through it. The game plan may need to shift along the way, but adjustments are necessary to lock in the win.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
– 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Stop looking at the score. Play to the end and see what kind of miraculous comeback story you get to put in the books. And when that story comes, let it be a testimony of the goodness of God, giving Him the glory he deserves as the ultimate strategist in life.
- Pastor Thaddaeus
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