30 June 2021

Whether it is a live match of soccer, a game of cricket on the television, or a replay of last night’s tennis match, I enjoy them all. I grew up in a household where we were encouraged to play sport from a young age.  My Dad especially (mainly because Mum was looking after the other little ones at home) would drive my brother and sister and myself early in the morning to swimming training before school. Tennis coaching was on the weekend and all the athletics and netball was done after school. I was never brilliant at any of them but a good all-rounder while the list of what I watched for enjoyment included everything except maybe boxing.

Just recently I was at an Aussie Rules (AFL) Football match with my son and husband. Of course, we were cheering for our team even though they were losing most of the match. They were keeping close to the other team in points the whole way till the last quarter. 22 points down, I leaned over to my son and said, “They have done pretty well for themselves. Our team have kept up the defence, kept trying to attack and if they don’t fall apart right at the end, they will have done themselves proud.” So basically, I was telling my son Joel – I don’t think we are going to make it!

Then there was a turn around. Our team got a second wind. The ball went our way and slowly but surely, we started to shorten the gap between the scores. Then it was only 2 points difference and maybe 2 minutes of play left. The sound in the stadium was deafening. Literally. The air was electric with expectation. As the siren blew with the last kick of the ball we had won!

My son leaned over to me and said, with a twinkle in his eye, “YE of little faith!”

NO ONE wanted to leave. The cheering, screaming, singing that occurred was a roar of victory. That’s how it is going to sound in heaven, does sound in heaven when one person turns to the Lord, when One person walks through those pearly gates! This experience showed me just a glimpse of the party that occurs in heaven when we sinners turn to the Lord.

It states in Luke 15:7

I say to you, that there will be so much more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting, than over the ninety-nine just, who do not need to repent.

And in Luke 15:10

So I say to you, there will be joy before the Angels of God over even one sinner who is repentant.

I can just imagine the roar of the Angels, the cheering, clapping, exultation of all the Angels and Saints. The words that kept entering my mind was “It’s not over till God says it’s over.” and “Our hope is in the LORD.”

I left that stadium, exalting God. Funny thing to say I guess, but that experience had a huge effect on me.

My son’s words kept repeating themselves in my heart.

“Ye of little faith.”

Oh, I so want to have the biggest hope ever, the best trust in God no matter what, but there are times when I doubt. There are circumstances in my life where I feel like I’m drowning or feel inadequate that I’m not swimming but dog-paddling. Just holding my head above the waves. There are times when I might show to everyone on the surface that I’m doing ok, but underneath, not doing very well, feeling very stressed. Feeling like I know our football team was feeling right up till the last 15 minutes. ‘We’re done! It’s finished.’

 “Lord, help my unbelief.”

“Grace me Holy Spirit with FAITH TO BELIEVE.”

And NOT just in a football match but in the ‘match of our lives’. So, this ‘winning experience’ has propelled me to push harder. Lean into God more. Trust in HIS WAYS and MEANS.

If HE does not do it, nobody can.

The words that are on my lips continuously now is – “My Hope is the Lord. He will NOT let me down.”

I say it to myself in the morning.

I say it to myself at night.

I say it to myself in the hard times.

I say it to myself in the good times.

I say it to my neighbour, my friends.

I say it to my family.

I say it to the LORD Himself.

And when I close my eyes I can still feel that roaring of the crowd, that atmosphere that was electric.

Then I see the Lord, lean over to me with a twinkle in His eye and say, “Keep the Faith! WE WIN!”

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Are there times when you doubt, when you find it hard to keep the faith?

What prayer can you say to yourself continuously throughout your day to help build your trust in God?