Devotion for Week of Oct. 21, 2006

Last week went by so quickly that I did not get around to posting a devotion. I hope this week's devotion will inspire you.

I heard a great football story the other day. In 1958 the University of Texas was leading the University of Georgia by seven points. Georgia had not had a single first down the entire game except with Texas turned over the ball. In was late in the third quarter and Georgia had its bck against the 5 yard line. Suddenly the third-string quarterback started out onto the field. No one had told him to go into the game. However, no one tried to stop him either. The first-string quarterback saw him heading to the huddle and assumed that the coach had decided to replace him, so he trotted off the field. Twenty-one plays, nine minutes and 95 yards later, this third-string quarterback marched Georgia into the end zone with a 3-yard touchdown pass on third-and-goal.

But he wasn't through. When the coach sent on the kicking unit, this young sophomore waved them off and went for two, and took the lead 8-7. This was how NFL Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton began his career as a top quarterback.

Can you imagine a player on a major college team having the chutspah to step out onto a field under those kind of circumstances? That's confidence! That's a feeling of closeness. You and I can operate with new confidence, new freedom, because we, too, have been chosen by God.

Fran Tarkenton is a devoted Christian and never lost sight of who he is, even after his great NFL career. Fran was the very first quarterback for the Vikings and was seen not only by his team mates and the Viking’s fans as a person that was centered and grounded, but by people throughout the country. His faith is what kept him confident not only on the field, but in new ventures after he retired from football (he as a pioneer in computer software). We should be as confident in Christ as Fran.

Devotion for Week of Oct. 9, 2006

The other day I was in Lake Forest Mall, having lunch right next to a little store near an entrance. During a long layover at an airport, I noticed that it attracted more people than any other store I could see from where I was sitting. In fact people were coming in from outside, going directly to the store and then leaving. The whole time I was watching, a steady stream of customers approached with cash in hand, stood in line, made a purchase, and left quickly. All seemed to know exactly what they wanted.

Having finished my lunch, my curiousity got the best of me, and I had to walk over to see what was happening. The thriving business sold lottery tickets. Even though the chance of winning the Mega-Millions is 1 in 175 million, people seemed compelled to spend something and, in almost every case, get nothing. It seemed to be a vivid picture of our enduring quest for satisfaction and security in material things.

God’s people were questioned through the prophet Isaiah, God asked why they spent their money for things that neither nourished nor satisfied them. The Lord invited those who had no resources to “come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. . . . And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me” (Isa. 55:1-3).

God offers to give us what we can’t buy—mercy, pardon, and a changed life infused with God’s presence. He invites us to “Seek the Lord while He may be found” (v.6).

By God’s grace, we can freely receive His something—for nothing.