Have
you ever entered a contest knowing in advance that you were going to come out
on top, that you were going to be victorious? Most of us don’t have the chance to
be in a sporting event and know in advance that, not matter what it looks like
at the moment, we are going to win. We go onto the field and face out opponents
and size them up. We know their record and their team’s strengths and
weaknesses. Our coaches have given us plays and strategies during the week to
help us overcome any disadvantages. But in the end, we don’t know that we will
win. Even the better team doesn’t know. They might be pretty confident, but
they still have to get out there and work every play to victory.
I
wasn’t in sports growing up. Instead, I was in the band, and in our school, you
couldn’t be in band and in sports. The band took too much time and effort. We
had a world-class band, literally. So early mornings and after school were full
of rehearsals. In fact, we started about four weeks before the school started
in the Fall. We began rehearsing.
So
when we entered a competition, we knew we were the best. And we came out on
top. But that didn’t mean we didn’t have to get out there on the field and
play. Every step and turn had to be just right. Every note played had to be in
tune, on time, and blended. The flags had to spin at just the right speed. They
had to be caught when thrown. The music had to be perfectly timed with the
various formations that we marched on the field to maximize the effect.
Everything had to be synchronized. If a line wasn’t straight, perfectly
straight, then points were deducted. And if point were deducted, we could lose.
We
as Jesus-followers are assured of victory. We win in the end. There is no doubt
about who will be wearing the victory crowns. We will! But we still have to get
out there in life and live the winning strategy. We must make every move
according to His plan. His commands keep us exactly where we need to be to keep
His coordinated strategy moving forward. We choose to be part of His team and
we choose to follow His plan. If we are part of the team, we must follow the
plan.
That
is how we know His commands are not a burden. They bring us victory. They are
the path to winning the fight. He knows us. He knows our enemy. He knows the
challenges ahead. He knows the battles that will come ten years from now and
what character must be woven into us in order for us to survive and come out
victorious in Him.
You
see, it is our faith in Him that changes us. His power is at work in our
earthly bodies. He changes us as we yield to His plan. We will overcome. We are
on the winning team.