Waiting On The Clock

I would like to make a confession; "I like the game of basketball". OK, OK, I like it a lot. Occasionally, I will happen upon (actually plan) one of those awesome Saturday triple-headers. You may be wondering how a preacher can spend hours watching basketball on a Saturday when he has to preach the next day. I suggest carefully mapping out commercial snack runs, locking in the sports channel and hiding the remote.

I particularly admire players who help their teammates make plays. Usually the high scorers stay in the spotlight, however without a gifted player to set them up, scoring points would be twice as hard. They are very patient and wise players, and seem to always know how to bring unity to the team.

During the first few years of my saved life, it was not uncommon to be in church meetings for weeks at a time. We equated frequent church attendance with spirituality. Each night we would "tarry at the altar" for more power and strength. Yet, after years of repetitious church meetings and Guinness length tarrying services, the biggest growth I experienced was in the area of confusion.

Finally my wife got fed up and insisted we take a vacation. Off to the beach we went. It was so comforting just to sit by the ocean, read a book and watch my kids play in the sand. Then one night I decided to click on the television. To my surprise, I had stumbled upon the NBA finals with the Chicago Bulls. The rest of that vacation is history.

You see, when I received salvation, I gave up basketball. I was taught and believed that sports were worldly. With so much going on in the world, a "true saint" didn’t have time to idle away watching sports. Saints should pray always and not faint. Besides, if Jesus were to come and catch you with your mind not on Him, you would be lost. I agree that many programs on television are not fit to watch. But even church activity, taken to an extreme, can be unhealthy.

If you are a basketball fan, you know that there are two ways a game can end. The first possibility is a close game. In this situation, you cannot afford to get distracted. Every shot is vital, every play is a big play, and each team has a chance to win. The game goes to the last second. So you watch the clock, and you play the game according to how much is remaining.

The second possibility is the runaway game. This is when a team is so far ahead, that it is impossible for the other team to catch up. In this situation, all that remains is for time to run out. This team knows that they have won, but they still have to wait on the clock. They cannot get careless on defense, and they continue to run the floor looking for fast breaks and easy baskets. They know that all of the pressure is on the other team, because there is not enough time to overcome such an enormous deficit.

It’s an incredible moment to be still playing in a game that you know you have won. That is the way we are in this spiritual battle. Jesus has already defeated Stan for us. The battle is won, but there is still time on the clock. So we keep our position and continue doing what God called us to do. We know that every blow of the adversary is a desperation maneuver. Therefore, no matter what he does, there is a smile on our face and joy in our heart because we know that we have won.

For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 8: 38-39.

In this life we will never be able to escape trials, tribulations and conflicts. There will always be issues to face and obstacles to overcome. Jesus prayed to "not take them out of the world but keep them from the evil". Sin is not the only temptation. We are tempted to grow frustrated when we fail or grow weary because when we fight battles for an extended period of time. The enemy wants to blur our vision so that we cannot see the end.

In Christ Jesus, we have already won. We are just waiting on the clock. The pressure is on the enemy because his time is running out. Victory belongs to us. My brethern, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing James 1: 3-4.