Undefeated

Many of my posts (like this one) support the little guy. I love to see the Davids defeat the Goliaths... unless the Goliaths are my favourites. In many ways this is a very biblical storyline. Weak, little, young David defeats strong, big, experienced Goliath by the power of God.

We find throughout the Bible that God uses outcasts and people with serious problems to accomplish his mission. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 1:27 we read that God intentionally "selected the world’s weak to bring disgrace upon those who think they are strong." (VOICE)  A little later in 2 Corinthians 12:9 Paul describes how in a time of struggle God explained to him, "My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness." (MSG)

God's strength comes into its own in your weakness.

This really seems like biblical authority to cheer for the underdog. It justifies my dislike of the Yankees (MLB), Collingwood (Aussie Rules), Patriots (NFL) and Kentucky Basketball (NCAA).

The last on that list is particularly pertinent today as the Kentucky Wildcats just completed an undefeated regular season of college basketball. Their 31-0 season makes them a unanimous #1 in the Associated Press poll and a prohibitive favourite to win the national championship.

I find it all a bit boring really. 

Kentucky wins.  Kentucky wins again. Oh, that's a close one... but Kentucky wins again. et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Then I realised. God is like the 2015 Kentucky Wildcats. He's big. He's dominant. He's undefeated.

In Jesus, God defeated Satan. God defeated sin. God defeated death. And while we continue to play the game, the outcome is sure. God wins. Because we're on God's team, we win too.

When Jesus hung on the cross it appeared that Satan was victorious, but Jesus came back from the dead and the result wasn't even close. Now we wait the final trumpet [buzzer] when we get to celebrate with Him.

I don't always feel like a winner, so I need reminders that although I'm a David, God's even bigger than the Goliaths in my life. And I'm on His team.

I still don't like Kentucky, but if they help me think of my God I can appreciate them for that.

                                                                                                                      

Stay close because I am going to tell you a mystery—something you may have trouble understanding: we will not all fall asleep in death, but we will all be transformed. ⁵² It will all happen so fast, in a blink, a mere flutter of the eye. The last trumpet will call, and the dead will be raised from their graves with a body that does not, cannot decay. All of us will be changed! ⁵³ We’ll step out of our mortal clothes and slide into immortal bodies, replacing everything that is subject to death with eternal life. ⁵⁴ And, when we are all redressed with bodies that do not, cannot decay, when we put immortality over our mortal frames, then it will be as Scripture says:

Life everlasting has victoriously swallowed death.
⁵⁵ Hey, Death! What happened to your big win?
    Hey, Death! What happened to your sting?

⁵⁶ Sin came into this world, and death’s sting followed. Then sin took aim at the law and gained power over those who follow the law. ⁵⁷ Thank God, then, for our Lord Jesus, the Anointed, the Liberating King, who brought us victory over the grave. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 (VOICE)

Is Perfect Good Enough?

According to multiple news reports, including www.orangebloods.com the football coach at the University of Texas, Mack Brown, will be forced to retire in the immediate future.

Brown has been the head coach in Texas for sixteen years. Fifteen of those years produced winning seasons. In fact, from 2001 to 2009 they won at least 10 games every year. In 2005 Texas won the national championship and came second in 2009. They won the Rose Bowl in 2004 and the Fiesta Bowl in 2008. They also won the the Big 12 title in 2005 and 2009.

In almost any college football program in the country this would be a hugely successful era.

But Texas isn't "any football program in the country."

The Texas football program has enormous financial resources and the administration and fans expect that support and wealth to result in regular Big 12 championships at the least and national championships every few years.

Over the past four years the Longhorns have barely broken even in the Big 12 with a 18-17 win-loss record. This article also points out that "Brown [is] the first coach in Texas history to suffer four straight seasons with at least four losses."

So turning around a season that started with two unexpected losses and clawing back to a share of second in the Big 12 wasn't good enough to save Brown's job.

Different jobs come with different expectations. Sometimes just having a winning record is a major achievement for the team. In other locations beating a traditional rival will make a successful season. But then there are those teams for whom anything less than ultimate success is failure.

Each time I hear of a successful coach being fired for not being successful "enough" I reflect on the grace I receive from God. The only "enough" God seeks from me, is a spirit broken enough to recognise my need for God's forgiveness and healing in my life.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:6 (tNIV)

Plenty of times I get caught up in the pursuit of various "enoughs" trying to please God or earn something from Him. I'm glad God's standards are so much lower that those of football fans around the world, because I'm never enough for God. The only "enough" in our relationship is that God is "enough" for me!