After suffering through the first half of the Sugar Bowl I went to bed. The Hogs had everything they needed to win including five seasoned players who had started every game in 2010. An entire state of Arkansas was counting on them. The Buckeyes even lost a key receiver to a wrist injury and we still fell behind 28 to 7 before halftime. It was too painful to watch and this morning I saw on Facebook where disgusted Razorback fans were facetiously giving away their Hogs paraphernalia. Our team had a bad day and blew the big one in front of a sold out Superdome filled with die-hard supporters.
No matter how long we've been washed white as snow by the red blood of Jesus, we're going to have bad days and blow big opportunities. Sometimes it's because we're like Simon Peter whose heart was in the right place but who occasionally jumped offsides when it came to speaking and taking action. Peter had followed Jesus for three intense years as one of His closest disciples when he made the curse-filled, heart-wrenching denial that he even knew "the man." No one was more surprised or devastated than Peter himself. A lesser man would have slunk back to the boats for good but Jesus' love for Peter and Peter's genuine repentance gave him the courage to face the Resurrected Christ. Peter's failure emptied him of any shred of self-reliance, leaving plenty of room for the Holy Spirit's filling in just a few short weeks. Our failures are key players in our spiritual growth because they remind us we'll only succeed when we live by faith and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us. Unlike football and contrary to popular practice, our spiritual lives aren't just a game.
Father, please forgive us for our cocky approach to life. We throw ourselves on Your mercy and ask You to live through us. Empty us of every shred of self-reliance and work powerfully through us. When we fail, remind us of Your unconditional Love and give us the courage to come back to You to ask for forgiveness and to let You use our failures for our good. Mighty God, thank You for being the God of Second Chances!
In the Name of Jesus who lived forgiving, died forgiving and came back to life still forgiving!
"Simon Peter asked Him, 'Lord, where are you going?' Jesus replied, 'Where I am going you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.'" John 13:36
"We live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7
Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest, and Jesus Calling
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