What is this? If you are a sports fan, we have been through a year for the ages. The fourth quarter comeback of the New England Patriots over the Atlanta Falcons, down 28-3 to a 34-28 victory, is just the latest miracle in the past twelve months. In the NBA finals, with Lebron James carrying them on his back, the Cleveland Cavaliers came back from being behind 3-1, to defeat the Golden State Warriors. During March Madness, Villanova won the NCAA basketball championship on a deep three-pointer at the buzzer. In college football, Clemson toppled Alabama with one second left to win the National Championship. And my favorite story line, the Chicago Cubs who hadn’t won the World Series in 108 years, come back from three games to one, to beat the Curse of the Goat, to defeat the Cleveland Indians, in an unforgettable seventh game. I had turned the TV off, I thought it was over. I could go on about Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky in the Olympic pool and Leicester City overcoming 5000-1 odds to win the Premier League in Soccer in the British Isles.
What does this mean? So maybe you don’t think its been a good year for politics, but you have to love the drama, plot-twists, and shocking comebacks sports have provided this past year. Hey, that reminds me of a bible story or two or three. Since Lent is coming up fast, think of it as the preseason for Easter. My favorite biblical stories are when the underdogs are so far behind, the situation looks impossible, and God’s people are either crying or complaining, and then God shows up. How about Abraham and Sara in need of an heir in the form of a baby, but they are 100 and 90 respectively. But, God shows up and baby Isaac is on the way. How about Moses and the liberated Hebrews who are on the end of a peninsula (think Point No Point if you live on the Olympic Peninsula) with Pharaoh’s chariots bearing down on them? But, God shows up, separates the Red Sea, drowns the Egyptians, and leads the Hebrews to the Promised Land. How about the Prophet Ezekiel in the Valley of the Dry Bones looking for signs of life? But, God shows up and it’s the ankle bone is connected to the foot bone, suddenly hearts and beating and lungs are pumping, as those dry bones and dead bodies are filled with breath and life. Don’t bet against God!
What is the takeaway? Maybe you need to read this as much as I need to write this. This week I am presiding at two funerals and writing reflections for a third that I can’t attend. It is an occupational reality, pastors deal with death all the time. It’s easy to get bogged down thinking death is the final and ultimate reality. When that happens to you or me, it is a good time to go to the bible where impossible is an inconvenience to God and death is more of an annoying detour than a final destination for the Almighty. One of my favorite stories is from the Book of Judges where the wimpy Gideon is put in charge by God to defeat the mighty Midianites (at that time they were like what Alabama is to college football). Gideon is guy more full of fear than faith. Nevertheless, he does amass an army of 32,000 warriors to fight the Midianites. But, God shows up and says, “That’s too many men. You’ll take the credit. Send all the fraidy cats home”. So 22,000 go home. But, God says, “Still too many”. Soon Gideon’s gang is whittled down to 300 and, big surprise, they go on to rout the baddies, thanks to a real “Act of God”. God seems to enjoy miraculous comebacks, saving underdogs whether they’re complaining or crying, and overcoming the impossible to show us who’s God and who’s not. That is why I like Lent so much. We worry about the future and fear death, and it leads to the Easter Gospel, “Don’t bet against God!”
Pastor Chuck's Takeaway 