Don't Forfeit the Game

It was Super Bowl something. I think it was the Bills vs. Cowboys. I don’t remember who won. I don’t remember any details of the game. I only remember one play and one play only (and even this play I don’t remember fully, just one part of it). If I remember correctly, the Bills had the ball and fumbled or it was intercepted or something and this big dude from the Cowboys scooped it up and ran and ran and ran. He was on his way to the endzone. They might as well have put 6 points on the board already. Then…

Don Beebe comes sprinting down the field, passing Cowboy after Cowboy, and just as Leon Lett (THAT’S who it was!) is about to cross the finish line… BOOM! Beebe hits the ball loose and it goes out of bounds. TouchBACK, not touchDOWN. It was crazy. Maybe he got tired. Maybe he thought it was a gimmie. I don’t know, I just know he DIDN’T get in that endzone for a touchdown.

Don Beebe didn’t give up. Don Beebe didn’t throw in the towel. Don Beebe hadn’t had enough.

Don’t forfeit the game.

I believe too many of us give up or stop short before the game is anywhere near ending. We get discouraged. We get disheartened. We lose hope. We stop trying because, “Hey, what’s the point?” Don’t give up. Don’t forfeit the game and miss out on the miracle.

If you’ve been following along the past few days I’ve been walking through John 20:1-10, the story of Peter and John discovering the empty tomb (the place Jesus WAS and no longer IS). Yesterday, we discussed John 20:4-7 and why you shouldn’t “Sweat the Competition.” We read how Peter and John raced to the tomb, but for whatever reason, John stopped short and didn’t go in. Read the following excerpt from John’s book (call the book of John… so original)…

Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
John 20:8-10 NKJV

What did John almost miss out on? What was right in front of him that he nearly walked away from? The miracle. The blessing. It says he WENT IN, SAW, and BELIEVED. He had some steps to take. He had HIS part in experiencing the miracle. Notice how he stayed outside and peeked in and it said NOTHING about a miracle, BUT once he went in and saw for himself, once he experienced it for himself he BELIEVED.

Leon Lett eased up as he neared the endzone. In his mind the touchdown was his. Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda. If only. And he missed out on it. Don Beebe didn’t quit. He didn’t stop. He kept going. He kept running. He gave it everything he had and HE experienced the miracle (or at least stripped the ball).

I would like to suggest that many of us are standing at the door of the tomb. We’re PEEKING in, but we haven’t STEPPED in. We’re too caught up with checking our surroundings and making sure everything’s ok before we take that next step. All the while we’re missing out on EVERYTHING GOD WANTS TO SHOW US AND GIVE TO US simply because we’ve stopped short.

But Nick you don’t know what I’ve done in the past. It’s ok God took care of it.
But Nick you don’t know what I’m going through right now. It’s ok God’s working it out.
But Nick you don’t know what’s about to happen. Worry about RIGHT NOW and let God handle LATER. 

God's not done with you yet.

Don’t forfeit the game.

Reflect:

• Have you already forfeit the game? When have you stopped short in the past?
• What is it you fear or are anxious about that’s keeping you back from experiencing the miracle?
• Are you taking time each morning to ask God for strength and courage to overcome the obstacle?
• Maybe you feel like you’ve already missed out on the miracle, remember God’s plans haven’t changed. Ask Him to help get you back on track.