End of the Beginning

In less than 40 hours the Rangers 2011 football season will be over.  Our first season as a head coach will come to an end.  But in the coaching world this is just the beginning. 

See, when coaches are hired, usually in the spring right before or after spring football, they are given a program that has already had its off-season training.  They "inherit" a little bit of the past.  They have not been able to implement all the ins and outs of their system.  That is what the off-season is for. 

Insight 101:  There are several "seasons" to football!  Didn't know that did ya?  :)  The actual football season when they play the games is the end of the year.  The "real" football year begins after the last game.  This is called the off-season.   Then there is spring football.  This usually starts after spring break -  FYI:  all the schools have to start at the same time - and it goes until the end of school.  Next are summer workouts and 7 on 7.  During summer work-outs they lift weights and run.  Then 2 days a week they have a mini-game passing league called 7 on 7,  that is, seven players against seven players.  This is mainly for quarterbacks and offense, but defense obviously gets a work-out too.  During 7 on 7 they don't wear pads or tackle.  It is kinda like flag football - but a little more intense.  After that begins football practice.  The dreaded 2 a days or 3 a days (depending on the location and coach and school schedules).  All the schools start at the same time.  This usually starts close to the beginning of the school year - late July or early August.  Then, in Mississippi, the first game usually begins the 3rd or 4th week in August!  And so on.....

Believe it or not, this makes me think about my relationship with Christ and being called a Believer, a follower of Jesus.  When I was saved, the Bible says that all things were made new and the old has gone (2 Corinthians 5), to throw away every sin that easily entangles (Hebrews 12),  to be salt and light (Matthew 5), to be imitators of Christ, careful of how I live, staying away from everything the world does (Ephesians 5), and I can go on and on.  And we do these things in response to a Holy God who loves us so much He sacrificed everything!  Think about it - would you let your kid hang on a cross for me?

And yet, today, the people who say they are followers of Jesus look no different than those that don't. When there are things about my life that do not reflect Christ, the Holy Spirit reminds me - then I must change them - ALL things have been made new in me.  Christ did not suffer for us to just pick and choose what part of religion or Christianity we like.  We have to take all or nothing.  In fact the Bible says in Revelation 3 that the "church" He is talking to is lukewarm.  And you know what He says?  He says He will spit them out of His mouth.  Hmmmm.......

Anyway, when we ask Christ to invade our life (that is - get saved) we are like an old football team with a new coach!  Everything changes.  We have to change our mindset, the way we practice, they way we talk, the way we dress, the way we perform, EVERYTHING! 

How does the world know you belong to Christ?  Do you belong to Christ?

I would love to hear from you.  Please contact me through email at missiongridiron@hotmail.com.