Bob Richards, pole-vault champion, shares story about a skinny young boy who loved football. He eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got nowhere. At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever got to play.
All through high school he never missed a practice nor game but remained a bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.
The persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game. It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram.
The young man read the telegram. He mumbled to the coach, “My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?” The coach put his arm around his shoulder and said, “Take the rest of the week off, son. And don’t even plan to come back to the game on Saturday.”
Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was 10 points behind, a young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. “Coach, please let me play. I’ve just got to play today,” said the young man. There was no way the coach wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. “All right.” He said. “You can go in.”
This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the wining touchdown.
His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you never heard. Finally, after the stands had emptied, the coach came to him and said, “Kid, I can’t believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?”
He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?” “Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!?
Like the athlete’s father, God is always there cheering for us. He’s always reminding us to go on. He’s even offering us His hand for He knows what is best, and is willing to give us what we need and not necessarily what we want. God has never missed a single game. What a joy to know that life is meaningful if lived for the Highest. Live for Him for He’s watching us in the game of life.
All through high school he never missed a practice nor game but remained a bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.
The persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game. It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram.
The young man read the telegram. He mumbled to the coach, “My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?” The coach put his arm around his shoulder and said, “Take the rest of the week off, son. And don’t even plan to come back to the game on Saturday.”
Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was 10 points behind, a young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. “Coach, please let me play. I’ve just got to play today,” said the young man. There was no way the coach wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. “All right.” He said. “You can go in.”
This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the wining touchdown.
His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you never heard. Finally, after the stands had emptied, the coach came to him and said, “Kid, I can’t believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?”
He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?” “Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!?
Like the athlete’s father, God is always there cheering for us. He’s always reminding us to go on. He’s even offering us His hand for He knows what is best, and is willing to give us what we need and not necessarily what we want. God has never missed a single game. What a joy to know that life is meaningful if lived for the Highest. Live for Him for He’s watching us in the game of life.
