100 Courts but no God
Recently my wife Becca and I attended Jr Volleyball Nationals in Orlando Florida with Kimber. I was so excited about the break in routine and the opportunity to support my daughter that it didn't occur to me until about half way through our second day there that something was missing at this action packed and fun-filled monster event. It was a feast for the eyes and hearts of real volleyball enthusiasts. There were over a 100 courts of volleyball games going on at one time from 8am to 8pm for 4 solid days!
Maybe it's the sports minister in me but when I attend athletic events like this one manifestations of God's presence in the lives of some of the athletes, coaches and spectators get my attention. It's an encouraging thing to experience and feel the boldness of His children to proclaim Him publicly in the midst of serious competition. While I believe God is everywhere, on this occasion, any visible evidence to me of His presence in the lives of those attending was nowhere to be found. I hadn't seen any T-shirts with scripture, witnessed anyone praying, either collectively as a team, or just a couple of players off to the side. There was no chapel anywhere where the athletes, coaches or parents could go to ask for prayer or help. It was all about winning volleyball games and we are on vacation...even from God!
I took this revelation as a prompting to do something to make a difference. Even if it was just in the lives of one or two people, or maybe just us. So on the morning of the 3rd day I wore a T-shirt with Isaiah 40:31 on the back from a Cross Country camp that we had just finished the week before at the church. By the end of the day, as we were heading back to our hotel room I remember realizing that I hadn't gotten one comment about the shirt. That was highly unusual since the shirt had an athletic theme and I was walking among 1,000's of athletes and parents who were athletic minded also. Being a sports minister I've worn similar shirts to baseball games, football games, running in half-marathons and always gotten comments from people saying how much they enjoyed the message on my back, or how it had encouraged them that day. A man recently even shared a word of prophecy about me at a little league baseball game. Many times people have come over when we have prayed together as a small group at an athletic event to say how it encouraged them to see another believer not pushing their faith on others, but at the same time being being public about it.
The message I got in my heart was..."You're planting seeds" so as discouraging as it was to get no response I took it as an opportunity to be obedient and moved on.
The last day we were there God let me see where the seed had been planted. One of the parents of a player on our team sat next to me for the first time the whole trip and it wasn't long before, in front of a few other parents, she asked me about a book I was reading during the 4 days. Keep in mind. This lady and I hadn't spoken a word to each other the whole previous 3 days. It was a book about Heaven and Hell sticking out of the pocket of my cargo shorts.
As I praised God internally I told her what the book was about and it spurred a brief but good conversation about Heaven and Hell and what she believed about it.
On the way home on the plane I reflected on how God wants to know that we care about spiritual deserts. He wants us to desire for it to change and let that desire lead to us stepping up when it seems like no one else is there to step up.
Love them like Jesus...everywhere you go!
Your friend in Christ,
Ray
Posts
