Good Monday morning! Winning may not be everything in this life, but losing for a long time may not be so good either. Congratulations to Detroit. The Lions finally won a pro football game for the first time since December of 2007. Detroit needs some good news, even a little secular good news, in a tough time. Team sports may not be your cup of tea; but when we hear about a long losing streak, I think all of us start rooting for the underdog. Remember the long losing streak that Northwestern University had in college football back in the day? I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief when that ended. Riding a long losing streak is often what brings us to Jesus. A sudden traumatic event can do the same thing. Mortal peril has caused many to call out to the Lord. Who is this person who uses our worst situations to bring us to salvation?
Jesus often met people in their worst situation or condition when He walked the lands of Galilee and Judea. Medicine was nearly useless in those days, demonic activity was up front and common, and the ruling teachers and priests burdened the people with a thousand traditions and rules. Jesus healed the sick, cast out the demons, and freed all of us from trying to be perfect before the law. Jesus should have been just as miserable as everyone else in that time. He was born a Jew in Roman occupied Judea, lived under the same conditions and law, and might have died from a dozen childhood illnesses that medicine had no way to stop or cure. Yet the Bible records no illness in his life, that He provided funds to pay the temple tax, and told his followers to give Caesar his due. Jesus observed the requirements of the Law including the holy days. However, upon fulfilling the Law, Jesus didn't come back to tell us "See, it can be done!" No, he came back and gave us the Holy Spirit and freedom from the penalty of sin.
Even with the Gospel to tell us that we are free only in Jesus, some of us seem to need a reminder that we cannot save ourselves with our own strength and abilities. It is in the worst situation that we come to realize our weakness and our need for God's salvation. Jesus didn't live the perfect life to put us down, but to become the final and perfect sacrifice for our sins. God doesn't use the tragedies of this world to torture us, but to make us realize our sorry condition in this sinful life. A person might seem successful in this life, but deep down that same person might be coming to the realization that his life is nothing but a long losing streak without Jesus. Let's be ready to help point the way!
Bucky
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