Although I used to play rugby whilst at school, I’m not paying that much attention to the World Cup taking place at the moment. I did catch the score of the first match of World Champions South Africa. They played Wales and despite being ahead by a good number of points, the Welsh lost 17-16.
Being a keen football fan it is always interesting seeing a team going ahead and establishing what can be considered a commanding lead only to be pegged back and lose out. My observation is that one of the worst leads to have in football is 2-0 – at that point there is nothing (else) to lose for the team behind. It is expected for them to win the match, whereas for the losing team there may be a liberty to attack the game with ‘pride to play for’.
At this point you’ll be glad to know if you’re not interested in football that here endeth the footie talk. What it has to do with anything is that the good news is put in the context of people in a losing position. We’ve lost healthy relationships, we’ve lost dynamic joy-filled existence, we’ve lost touch with what is important namely we have lost connection with God. In such a losing position most have written us off. Indeed it hardly appears as though the game is won when the Messiah is hung on a cross. Yet up from the grave He arose. Death is defeated, disease will be no more, the victory of Christ on the cross realised in His resurrection means those who believe and follow Jesus need never be downcast again.
That informs our perspective on life as we live it. I am sure I am not the only one who comes across seemingly hopeless situations. There are times when I see people and monitor their behaviour and just think how many issues they have to deal with. In the natural, left up to resources in society it would be a losing position from which there would be no comeback. Yet it is in that position that the power of the gospel and the person of Jesus Christ lends hope in a hopeless situation. It is often the challenge for me in prayer to see things through God’s eyes and remember the losing position I was in and how He rescued me.
With God it is the case that it is not how we start that matters. We can be behind and have suffered setback after setback, but when God gets in the picture victory is snatched from the jaws of defeat.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 