The Game of LIFE

The other night after a speaking engagement I came home and took Sunshine for a long walk. It had been a long day and I needed some down time to clear my thoughts. It was a beautiful summer night around 8:30 and there was even a slight cool breeze and a full moon on the rise. We got up to the baseball field in our neighborhood and played chase for a bit then both plopped down in the middle of the field. Happy, tired and done for the day.

As always I was pondering life. Really the “game” of life and what a game it is…. We talk about the “game” but do we know where we are in it? What position are you playing? Are you a Star Player or a Bench Warmer or maybe the water boy? Who’s calling the plays? Do we know when to train? Warm up? Rest and recover? Do you read your play book? Are you even in the game? If so is there still JOY in playing the game?

With life, as in any game you need training, warm up, studying the playbook, rest, time with the coach and time with the team during the different seasons of our life. We need one on one with the one who created us, our true life coach. The one who believes in us, loves us and can encourage us to keep playing our best even though our best will look different in the continually changing seasons of our game.

“Whatever our season of life, it offers its own opportunities and challenges for spiritual growth. Instead of wishing we were in another season, we ought to find out what this one offers. Life counts-all of it.” John Ortberg

So, whether you are a star player and have it down, warming the bench or been taken out of the game due to illness, bad behavior or just plain worn out and exhausted, remember where your training and strength comes from. As the coach says, ” Be still and know that I am God….I know all the plays and the players….Come to me and I will give you rest, direction, strength, comfort and peace for wherever you are in the game.”

As Sunshine and I headed home I felt like she knew exactly where she was in the game…..Less Bark and more WAG! I think she is on to something…..If I only had a tail!