Matthew 7: 7-8
Sportsmen are the most prepared people in the world. They will spend countless hours getting ready for the big hunt or fishing trip. Food plots are planted, dogs are trained, the right clothing is purchased, the tides are researched, hunting and fishing gear is checked and rechecked---whatever is necessary for a successful sporting trip will be done efficiently and diligently.
Athletes will spend years training and conditioning their bodies and honing their skills to perform at the very peak of their abilities.....whatever it takes to be a winner will be done efficiently and diligently.
As Christians we openly profess our faith and belief in Jesus Christ, but we spend so little time in earnest preparation for the challenges and struggles that confront us daily. So many times our lack of preparation causes us to miss the joy and peace of the fulfilled life God has promised us in Jesus Christ.
God has provided all the tools we need to adequately prepare us for the "heaven on earth" experience promised to all believers who enter into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Those tools are His Holy Word (the Bible) and prayer. God reveals Himself to us in the scriptures and allows us to communicate with Him through prayer.
I learned the importance and power of preparation through study and prayer from my mother. She has gone on to her reward, but what a legacy she has left for her loved ones. Her Bible was her blueprint for daily living. That bible is the only worldly possession of hers that I told my brothers that I wanted. As I read through her bible, I see many of her handwritten notations, but more importantly, it reminds me of her daily reading, study, and obedience to God's Word.
My mother's prayer life was very unique. Her prayers were plain and simple---a conversation with a friend. She never prayed hoping God would hear an answer. She prayed knowing and expecting God to answer her prayers. She kept a list of prayer requests on her refrigerator. This list would include the person's name and the specific need for this person. Her prayer life was never for show or recognition, but I know what a prayer warrior she was when, over the years, people would come up to me and ask if I would have my mother put their name on her refrigerator.
She lived a joy filled life anchored in study and prayer, prepared for whatever challenges this world brought her way. The challenge for all Christians is to prepare ourselves spiritually with the same diligence with which we prepare ourselves for sporting activities. When we seek God in the scriptures and communicate with Him in prayer, He opens the door for a fulfilled life.
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Tip for the sportsman:
I don't hunt, but I would suggest that you don't stand between the hunter and what is being hunted.
I haven't fished in years, but a good tip is to never fish in water above your shoulders if you can't swim.
As a former athlete, I can tell you that you should play to win, but always remember that it is only a game and the outcome of the game has very little effect on who you are and what you can do for God's Kingdom.
The game of life is the only game God desires for us to win!
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