Opinion : Pastor's Blog - What if???

Jan. 9, 2012-

This last weekend I got to watch a part of the Broncos vs. Steelers football game. I know that some people don’t care to watch football, but I sometimes find life lessons in all sports.

Here is the situation as I remember it. The Steelers have the ball and are moving. It is late in the 4th quarter of the regulation time. They are just outside the known range of their field-goal kicker. The clock is running out. What should they do? They lost some yardage on an attempted pass play. There were only seconds left on the clock. The Steelers chose to allow the clock to run out and not try the field-goal. The first play-off overtime was going to determine the winner of this game. The rules, in part, stated that both teams would have a chance to score unless there was an initial defensive score or the initial offensive team scored a touchdown. The ‘safe’ play would be to do just as the Steelers did. To start the overtime, the Broncos won the right to choose and chose to play offense. On the very first play of the very first play-off overtime, the Broncos’ quarterback threw a long pass to a receiver who scored a touchdown, and thus, won the game, sending the Broncos into the next round of the play-offs.

Life lesson – What if???? What if the Steelers had tried to kick a field goal with only seconds left on the clock? I am sure their coaching staff has been asking that question for the last several hours and will for some time to come. If by some fluke, or providence, if you wish, the kicker scored, the game would have been won by the Steelers. If the kick was missed, then the game would have gone into overtime, as it did. That is – if they had tried, but, of course, they never tried. So, it is a mute point.

How easy it is for each of us to take the easy road – the seemingly safe road. Sometimes you win – sometimes you loose. The great Yogi Berra is credited with saying, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Our only other option would be to just stand there in wonderment or maybe retreat.

Life is full of ‘forks’ on our road of life. How do you choose? Do you always take the safe route? Which fork leads to safety? Has Anyone traveled this road before? If They have, maybe seeking Their advice would be a wise option. Someone once said, “The only person never to make a mistake is the person who never tries.” All of us, except for God, make mistakes.

It is now the start of 2012. Many of us have made resolutions to start the new year. These are ‘forks’ in our road of life, which we have chosen to take – at least, for awhile. Are you looking to reduce your failures and optimize your successes? May I suggest that Christ lived before time began and sees your road of life from beginning to eternity. He has traveled this road before. He knows which fork to take. Might it be worthwhile to seek His advice as we travel our road of life? Christ never makes mistakes. Sometime we misunderstand what He says. Sometimes we think we know better that He does. Sometimes we make mistakes. He still loves us and is willing to guide us. We just need to ask Him and trust Him to guide us. Your local church family, your Holy Bible, and prayer are avenues to assist in your understanding of His guidance.

My prayer is that every fork you take during 2012 is guided by Jesus the Christ. Some will be the safe route, but more often, He might choose the challenging route. If you are following His advice, no matter how bleak, you can not loose. Happy New Year.