A lot of college football teams are preparing for bowl games with hopes of victory.
Hours of practice, hours of watching videotape of opponents’ previous games and hours of team meetings are invested in order to improve the chances of lifting the winner’s trophy.
But no matter how hard both teams prepare for the game, 50 percent of those practicing, studying and meeting WILL lose out and be filled with disappointment.
It’s the unfortunate reality of competitive sports.
There are always winners and losers.
When it comes to salvation, though, winning or losing is totally up to us, not the competitor.
No matter how hard our Enemy practices or studies our weaknesses or meets with his mischievious minions to scheme our eternal downfall, he has no authority over what we do.
If we want to be saved and if we choose to follow God’s path to heaven, we WILL spend forever with the Father.
Take that, Satan!
In today’s devotional reading from the One-Year Bible, the Apostle John gives us these words in chapter 12:
“They triumphed over him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (verse 11)
Listen, Jesus did on the cross all the work needed to build a bridge from the road of eternal death over to the road of eternal life.
We just need to make the choices to take that road and to stay on that road, testifying to His glory and grace, no matter how bumpy it gets sometimes.
If we keep following Jesus no matter what Satan says or does, we have a guaranteed victory with a glorious trophy of eternal life waiting for us after the game.
I can’t wait to enjoy that celebration. And I hope that you’ll be there with me.
As always, I love you
Martin
