The High School Football Team
The local high school football team was having a golden
season. They had lost only one game. When the season came to
an end, they were told that they were the obvious champs and
that there would not even be a playoff. Pumped, the boys
asked their coach if, instead of practicing and working out
for the last couple of weeks, they could have RC Colas and
Moonpies to celebrate. Wanting to show his gratitude to them
for all their hard work and the resulting string of
victories, the coach relented. Each day, instead of planning
their defensive and offensive strategies, they munched down
on their treats, told jokes and horsed around.
After a couple of weeks, the news came down from their
division that a mistake had been made and they would have to
play a final game after all, they were panic stricken! They
cracked down and tried to put their game plan together in
two short sessions. To make matters worse, on the big game
day, a storm was brewing. When the snap was made, the ball
spiralled into the air. Then suddenly, a strong wind came up
under the ball and it went up and circled back like a
boomerang, sending it back the other way for a loss of 10
yards! The game was a disaster and they lost with a score of
15-9.
I heard this intriguing true story from Dr. Dean Doster, a
Louisiana minister who was a member of this 1950s high
school football team. But, I see an illustration here for a
true story of a much more serious tenor; it is found in the
Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3). "...For you know very well
that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the
night. While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,'
destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a
pregnant woman, and they will not escape." We are told that
we are to be ready in all seasons. We may think that we have
worked hard and have been successful and good in our life
and we have taken our ease. We may not ever consider that
Jesus is going to return as He said. When He does return, it
will not be as the Babe in the Manger, but as the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords. He will come the next time to judge
all the earth. All the good works in the world will not save
us. It is only by placing our faith and trust in Jesus
Christ and His righteousness alone that will save us. This
could be the day; are you prepared?
Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.
Thanks to Daily Wisdom Majordomo@gospelcom.net