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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
"It Is Better When You Know How It Ends"
February 4, 2009
On Sunday afternoon I did everything I could to give my Pittsburgh Steelers
the home field advantage for Super Bowl XLIII. I surrounded our television
set with terrible towels, Steeler's memorabilia and Roethlisberger and
Polamalu bobble heads. I knew I would have to pull out all the stops to
withstand the negative vibrations that would be in the air as my friends
came over to watch the game.
All my friends wanted to see the underdogs prevail. From the opening
kick-off they were rooting for Kurt Warner and the upstart Cardinals.
Things went well for three quarters and then the tide seemed to turn. The
Cardinals began the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history and my
friends went wild. I have to confess that my faith was put to the test.
I don't know about you, but I like sure things. I want to know who is going
to win. I don't like games that go back and forth. I want my team to score
early and often. The truth is that I feel the same way about life. I don't like
surprises. I want to know what I'm going to be doing tomorrow. I want to
lay out a plan and work towards it. Unfortunately life doesn't always
cooperate. Just because I do everything right doesn't mean that everything
will fall into place.
John Lennon once said, "Life is what happens to you when you are making
other plans." We've seen that over the last six months as the financial world
has been turned upside down. Yesterday people were planning their
retirement. Today their future is in limbo. Yesterday they were working
their way up the ladder. Today they are out looking for a new job.
Yesterday they were excited about their next home. Today they are praying
they have a place to live. The truth is that there are no guarantees in life.
I have to confess that I watched the DVD of Super Bowl XL earlier that
afternoon. The Steelers won that day. When the Seahawks intercepted a
pass from Big Ben in the third quarter I never flinched. You see I knew who
was going to win the game. Any momentary setback could not change what
was going to happen. The Steelers had already won and nothing could
change the outcome.
Watching the earlier game reminded me that no matter what happens to us
in this life, we are already victors in Christ. That is what the Apostle Paul
was talking about in his letter to the Corinthians when he said, "But thanks
be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always
give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your
labor in the Lord is not in vain."
In other words, Christ has already won the battle. The problems we face,
although very real, cannot derail God's plans for us. So don't let them
overcome you. On Sunday night when Larry Fitzgerald caught that pass
and went into the end zone to give Arizona the lead, I was scared. Next time
I watch the game it won't even phase me. That is how it is when you know
how it all ends.
So put your faith in God. He will not let you down and you will come out
on the winning side. God Bless. See you in Church. Cal.
February 4, 2009
On Sunday afternoon I did everything I could to give my Pittsburgh Steelers
the home field advantage for Super Bowl XLIII. I surrounded our television
set with terrible towels, Steeler's memorabilia and Roethlisberger and
Polamalu bobble heads. I knew I would have to pull out all the stops to
withstand the negative vibrations that would be in the air as my friends
came over to watch the game.
All my friends wanted to see the underdogs prevail. From the opening
kick-off they were rooting for Kurt Warner and the upstart Cardinals.
Things went well for three quarters and then the tide seemed to turn. The
Cardinals began the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history and my
friends went wild. I have to confess that my faith was put to the test.
I don't know about you, but I like sure things. I want to know who is going
to win. I don't like games that go back and forth. I want my team to score
early and often. The truth is that I feel the same way about life. I don't like
surprises. I want to know what I'm going to be doing tomorrow. I want to
lay out a plan and work towards it. Unfortunately life doesn't always
cooperate. Just because I do everything right doesn't mean that everything
will fall into place.
John Lennon once said, "Life is what happens to you when you are making
other plans." We've seen that over the last six months as the financial world
has been turned upside down. Yesterday people were planning their
retirement. Today their future is in limbo. Yesterday they were working
their way up the ladder. Today they are out looking for a new job.
Yesterday they were excited about their next home. Today they are praying
they have a place to live. The truth is that there are no guarantees in life.
I have to confess that I watched the DVD of Super Bowl XL earlier that
afternoon. The Steelers won that day. When the Seahawks intercepted a
pass from Big Ben in the third quarter I never flinched. You see I knew who
was going to win the game. Any momentary setback could not change what
was going to happen. The Steelers had already won and nothing could
change the outcome.
Watching the earlier game reminded me that no matter what happens to us
in this life, we are already victors in Christ. That is what the Apostle Paul
was talking about in his letter to the Corinthians when he said, "But thanks
be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always
give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your
labor in the Lord is not in vain."
In other words, Christ has already won the battle. The problems we face,
although very real, cannot derail God's plans for us. So don't let them
overcome you. On Sunday night when Larry Fitzgerald caught that pass
and went into the end zone to give Arizona the lead, I was scared. Next time
I watch the game it won't even phase me. That is how it is when you know
how it all ends.
So put your faith in God. He will not let you down and you will come out
on the winning side. God Bless. See you in Church. Cal.
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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