For the two people reading this who don’t know the answer to this Jeopardy question, the answer is: What is number of days since University of Michigan Football Team beat Ohio State?
Having gotten this out of my system, I want to tie yesterday’s victory to the sermon we heard this morning in church. For me the connection was easy; but, I am sure that I was the only one in church this morning in Ft Myers, that connected the sermon to yesterday’s game. The scripture text was Philippians 3:11-16. The King James Version reads:
11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Now, to me I can see the connection but let me give it to you from “The Message” version. It will be easier for you to see.
11If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
Focused on the Goal
12I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me.
13Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. 14I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
15So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet!
16Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.
NOW, do you see it: “The Goal”. Right about now you are sure that I have gone off the deep end. You are thinking, what a dummy, Paul was not talking about football! I know that!
I want to talk about Paul’s statements: “I’ve got my eye on the goal” and “So let’s keep focused on that goal.”
When Brady Hoke took over as coach in mid-January, he installed countdown clocks throughout Schembechler Hall, displaying the number of days since Michigan had beaten Ohio State. They ended every team meeting this year with the team chanting “Beat Ohio”. This was basically the same group of players that lost last year to Ohio, 37-7. What changed? Coach? Coaches? Attitude? Dedication? Commitment? All of the above! THEY WERE FOCUSED!
NOW, with this in mind, go back and re-read those verses. Do we, you, and me, have this same FOCUS when it comes to our relationship with our heavenly Father? We say that He is first in our lives; but, do our actions reflect our words? If you asked last year’s coach and staff, they would also say that they were focused. They were focused. They were not FOCUSED!
What would happen if we all had this FOCUS in our relationship with our Father? Do you think our life might be different?
YA THINK!
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