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Life Is Like a Football Game
by Irvin Rozier Football games can be fun and exciting to watch. Throughout the game, there are moments of victory when a touchdown is scored, there are moments of disappointment..a fumble or intercepted pass, or a blocked kick. Teams begin the game, both expecting to be victorious. The team members have trained for game time...some players give their full 100 percent, others do not. Some players sit on the bench, others only enter the game in special situations...the kicker only comes in when needed. American football, from peewees to the National Football League, consist of four quarters of play, with a halftime in between. Some teams rack up much points during the first quarter, and then coast to an easy victory. Other teams wait until the fourth quarter, and then win at the last moment. Some games go into overtime, where victory is determined by whichever team scores first. The fourth quarter and overtime periods are often times where the players have run out of energy. They are tired, but keep on playing because they can see victory ahead. The Bible speaks of our life span as being 70 years (Psalm 90 verse 10..."The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.") If we live to be 80, we have four quarters of life to play life's game. The first quarter would be 0 to 20, the second quarter 20 to 40, the third quarter 40 to 60, and the fourth quarter 60 to 80. After that would be overtime. Like in a football game, everyone is not guaranteed to complete the whole game. Some die during the first quarter of their life..just go down to the local cemetery and check the graves of those who died young. Others go out of life's game in the second, third and fourth quarters. Some are injured and have to sit on the sidelines. Some live past 80 and are in "overtime". Recently, a man from our area that was 106 died. He had victory in the game of life because he had trusted Jesus as his savior. Just like a football game, life's game comes to an end for all. What lies ahead? Victory can be assured if one has accepted Jesus as their savior. He has given victory of death, hell and the grave. 1 Corinthians 15 verses 55-57, "O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING? O GRAVE, WHERE IS THY VICTORY? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ". Copyright 2008 Irvin L. Rozier, author of My Walk with the Lord, US Army, Chaplain of American Legion Post 181..website to song and video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lseFgH7XumU http://www.youtube.com/user/walkin2e Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |