Tuesday, July 29, 2008

God's Blessings

God has given us blessings! This is the heading of the section in 2 Peter I read earlier. Want an amazing thought. The thought that each one of us has been blessed by God, not because we deserve it but because he loves us and wanted to bless us. This however comes at a price. A price that each one of us needs to pay but one that each one of us are able to pay. This is also crucial for the sportsmen and women. God has blessed them with unbelievable sporting talent. Talent that each one of them are able to use to show the world what God has done. Opportunities like the Olympics coming up, is just one of the platforms in which the athlete can show their talents, how they have trained themselves in both physical and spiritual aspects.

The challenge that is set for us is the following and is written here in 2 Peter 1 from verse 5-9. It reads “Because you have the blessings, do your best to add these things to your lives: to your faith, add goodness; and to your goodness add knowledge; and to your knowledge, add self control and to your self control, add patience; and to your patience, add service to God; and to your service for God, add kindness to your brothers and sisters in Christ; and to your kindness add love. If all these things are in you and are growing, they will help you be useful and productive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Are we adding these things to our lives. Are we as coaches and athletes adding these things to our lives? Are we trying to add goodness and Knowledge. Are we using self control in our sporting environment? Are we patient or are we impatient for results? Do we as coaches and sportsmen add service to God and show kindness to our fellow believers, competitors or colleagues? And do we show love, like it is commanded that ‘we love another as God has loved us?’ The important thing for each one of us is to thank God for the abundant blessings he has given us BUT more so are we taking up the challenge of living our lives like He wants us too?

The last piece that stood out for me in 2 Peter was in Chapter 3 from verse 8-9. “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: To the Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day. The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised – the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.” We as human beings don’t always understand God’s time. Things may not always happen when and where we would like them to happen. But here it is explained. God is being patient with each one of us, particularly because he does not want to loose any one of us! He wants each one of us to change our hearts and lives to the better. If He, the Almighty, is prepared to wait for us should we not step up to the plate and take the challenges he sets us, head on.

Have a blessed day.

SB

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Challenging Thought

How do I commit to spending time in God's precsence, even when i am 'busy'? What am I doing to live up to God's expectation of me?

Prayer Requests

  • Spiritually lead & focused coaches who have a critical role in the development of their athletes.
  • Athletes participating around the world in various sporting feats. That they do it not for personal clory but for glory of God
  • All soccer / football players coming to South Africa in just over a month's time for the FIFA 2010 World Cup
  • Focused Godly Athletes
  • Guidance and Grace to all Athletes on all levels in their training
  • MORE ATHLETES THROUGH THIS BLOG CAN SHARE THEIR TESTIMONIES
  • Praise God for the unbelievable performances, the dedication & perserverance of our Paralympians

Book Review Corner

We will be soon reviewing books read and share any key thoughts found and identified.

So watch this space!