God Moments

If you have ever been involved as a coach at any level of play, you understand that throughout the course of a season there our "teaching moments." By that I mean there are times when in the course of an at bat, a goal kick, a long distance run, or game ending play; that you will have the opportunity to take a difficult lesson and develop the character of a player or a team. That's what is so great about working in recreation. It combines the skill of the game and the development of character.

I also like to refer to those as "God Moments." Moments in life when to our surprise, only because we are not anticipating God's hand working daily, that God places us in a place or position that He wants to teach us or use our lives for His glory. While running a sports company in a third world culture oversees, all to often "God Moments" would occur as I was setting up new leagues, inviting coaches and players from the neighborhood streets to participate, and meeting with government officials.

Well, last night I experienced a "God Moment." During an adult basketball game I decided to walk on our track. It's a great place to walk and see the games being played from above. As I was about to finish a friend of mine called my name and wanted to walk a few laps. My first response was to think that I needed to get back to the adult game at hand, but the other side of me really wanted to just walk and visit with him. So, we started another lap and before I knew it the game was over and the next game was starting. It was great! The conversations we had about how God was showing us new things in our lives and what steps we could be taking in order to continue our faith journey and seeking Christ's will for our lives was thrilling. It was a "God Moment."

While "God Moments" are thrilling because they come to us as a surprise, I cannot help but wonder what life would be like if I anticipated every opportunity to be a thrilling experience of seeing where God wants to be involved. The challenge is to enjoy the thrill of God blessing us with moments of surprise, but to learn to live in expectation of His presence in all things.

The great missionary William Carey phrased it this way, "Expect great things from God, Attempt great things for God."