Okay, I know this is hard to believe, and you'll have to accept this by faith, but the Dallas Cowboys use to be a really good football team. In fact, they've won more Super Bowls then any other team, except the Steelers (excuse my language:)). Back in the 1990's the Cowboys were on a roll. They had some super stars named Aikman, Irving, and Smith, as well as incredible players all over the field. In 1993 and then in 1994, they made it to the Super Bowl and were playing the Buffalo Bills (another thing you'll have to accept by faith). The Bills too were loaded with incredible players. So the game was supposed to be a good, close game.
At that time in college ministry, we would have a Super Bowl party at a house, and watch until half-time of the game. Because the Super Bowl always started mid-to-late afternoon, we would always leave the party at half-time, hit the recorder, and take off for the Sunday night church service at the church where I am a pastor. At this particular super bowl, it was a close game and frankly, I was sure that my Cowboys would lose. At this same party, there were perhaps only three Cowboys' fans (me, myself, and I) and then my wife kind of cheered for the Cowboys but she did so only because I run the finances in our family. On my part, I was troubled as the game seemed more of a defensive struggle. In my mind, I was certain that Buffalo was going to win, and then for the next two decades I would be reminded of this. So, at half-time, out the door we all went to the church service. I didn't really want to return to the house where the recorded second half would be shown because I was certain that the Cowboys lost. Well, I had a little secret. In the church office complex was a TV, and so, as soon as church was over, I sneaked into the office to check the score. It was, if I remember rightly, 30-13, in favor of my Dallas Cowboys and the game was all but over. So off to the Super Bowl party I went to watch the last half of the game. I was calm, cool, collected. I had a confidence that almost seemed over the top as the group watched the second half. I actually enjoyed the second half in a huge way. It was restful. I had some level of peace as I watched. My "hope" had changed. Before I knew the outcome, I had a hope, but that was a, "I sure hope the Cowboys win," type of hope. It was uncertain. But after I saw the final score, I had a different hope. It was a hope of certainty.
You may be asking: "Okay Blake, so what's your point? We've established the fact that you cheated and that you are having a rough football season this year, but where are you going with this?" Here's the point: If you know Jesus Christ personally; If you have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, having submitted your life by faith to Him, then you have hope. The hope you have isn't a, "I sure hope this turns out okay," type of hope. It is a Biblical hope. It is a certainty. That is what true Biblical hope is. We know that Jesus Christ wins. We know that because we are "in Christ" that we win. We can rest. We've read the book and we know the end result. And we don't have to cheat to find that out. We can do what Jesus speaks of in Matthew 11 when He says that if we take His yoke upon us we will find rest for our souls (vss 28-30). My friend, Do you have that rest today? What is your hope?
No comments:
Post a Comment