By: Rex Stump
Wauseon, Ohio
Everyone knows that when summer comes to an end the students return to school, and the fall sport season begins! Golfers, cross-country runners, volleyball, soccer, and football players gear up for their upcoming season with high expectations.
These athletes have worked in the off-season to prepare and ready themselves for competition. They hit the weight room and track; they set aside certain foods and discipline their bodies with the right nutrients to help them compete.
They take team pictures and share their goals with each other for the upcoming season. It’s all part of getting ready for the season.
Within a short time, the preseason is over and the time arrives to compete! It’s the night before competition, so you get your rest and you hydrate.
On game day you are focused, you eat the right food, and you have your uniform and equipment laid out and organized. You are an athlete; you are game ready!
When it comes to faith and being a Christian, are you game ready? Have you prepared for the daily spiritual competition that comes your way? Are you disciplining yourself, setting goals, and preparing for game day?
Are you focused on heavenly things? Are you tuning into your Heavenly Coach’s voice? Are you reading, meditating, and staying on track with the commands of the Bible? You are a Christian; are you game ready?
Two months after leaving Egypt, Moses and the Israelites arrived at the base of Mount Sinai. We can read in the book of Exodus that Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God.
God says to Moses, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.
And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.” (Exodus 19:4-5) Not because of works or entitlement, but because of the special favor and love of God these people were chosen! Because they had been chosen, it was time to meet with God and begin a special relationship with Him.
God gives instructions to Moses and the people to ready themselves to meet God! They are to physically and spiritually prepare themselves to meet God! Set aside sin, daily routines, and get themselves cleaned up!
It was like game day for these people! It’s a day different than the rest of the week! And they were excited to have this opportunity! Are we?
If you are a Christian, please understand that we still have a “Game Day!” Sunday is our “Game Day.” Sunday is when we physically and spiritually set aside our daily routines to meet God!
It’s that day we gather with others who share our belief in the one true God and worship Him alone. We have the special favor and love of God.
We have been chosen to have a relationship with the King of Kings! Because we have been chosen, it’s imperative that we meet with God and worship Him.
Do we value the opportunity to gather and worship God? How are we doing in preparing for our spiritual game day?
The Israelites spent three days preparing to meet God! I encourage you today to reevaluate your view on preparing to meet God on a weekly and consistent basis.
“Stay strong, stay focused…stay faithful!”
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Rex Stump is the Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as a Pastor at True North Church in Wauseon, Ohio.
