As I prepare to have friends over to watch the “Big Game” this Sunday I started thinking about football. I love watching the game and even more I love watching the 49ers win! But as I struggle with the fact that my 49ers lost to the Seahawks on that last pass to Crabtree, I could not help but think about the job of a receiver.  The receiver hears the play in the huddle, runs a pattern with the sole purpose of creating separation so he can receive the football from the quarterback. The receiver has many obstacles as he runs the pattern given to him by the quarterback. There are eleven defensive players that are there to get in his way and distract him from his task. There are specific defenders, defensive backs, who try to get him to take his eye off of the ball. They try to misdirect and frustrate him. Even though there are rules the defenders do not always play by those rules. They will blatantly interfere with the receiver. Their only job is to not let the receiver receive the ball.

When I compared this to my walk with God I realized that I am like a  receiver. I am one of God’s receivers. I get my instructions from God, by reading the Bible, then go out into the world and try to follow God’s plan for my life.  My challenge is that I live in a world that desires to block me from doing this. I live in a world that tries to misdirect and distract me.  My job is to create separation from the world so I can follow His plan for my life. There may be rules, laws, and morals but the world will blatantly interfere with me, trying to get me to take my eye off of “The ball”.

In order for the receiver to receive the ball from the quarterback he must do four things:

•      Get in the huddle and listen

•      Run the pattern the QB gave him

•      Create separation from the defender to get open

•      Catch the football

In my walk with God I must also do four things:

•      Huddle with God and Listen

•      Act on what God tells me, run the pattern

•      Create separation from the world to get open

•      Keep my eyes on Jesus and receive His word

Hebrews 12   ¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

How are you doing in your “Big Game”?