All Things Goofy

OK, that title was more for attention grabbing then anything else.

But it does have to do with Michigan football.and the Gospel.

I was basking in the glow of UM’s victory over Notre Dame earlier.  After reading of their re-entry into the APTop25, I started analyzing in my mind their upcoming schedule and what to expect.  I was very  excited at the prospects of not only staying in the top 25, but climbing the ranks.  I smiled from ear to ear at the hope I had in this season and the next few.  It suddenly occurred to me that if you had asked me this offseason that I never would have expected the start of this season to go as it has.  Now don’t get me wrong, the program has a long way to go, and I am still not 100% sold on RichRod.  But the grim outlook I had last year has been wiped away and replaced with hope.  Tate Forcier is amazing and may turn out to be the best QB1 ever at Michigan.  He is poised, smart, and has a great arm.  Last year looked horrible on the surface, but the truth is that the work was underway and the hope was there the whole time.  RichRod was/is teaching his players his system–something that takes time.  The pieces are being put into place.  (Hopefully the pieces on defense are going in this week!)  Amidst the blowouts, the losses to teams we weren’t supposed to lose to, and departures of players we thought would have great careers at Michigan, RichRod was whittling away at the bad habits and teaching good ones to fit into his system.  The results are starting to show and I hope they  continue on to a National Championship!!!

Oh "the Gospel"

How often are we unable to see past the long two-a-days, defeats, and blowouts to the hope that Christ is doing in us?  When we are having hard times, we love to complain, stomp our feet, and yell at God.  The truth is that in those times God is whittling away our bad habits and teaching us good ones that fit into His system.  Often it doesn’t make sense to us at the time, but how amazing is it when we have that great victory in our life and are able to look back at those hard times and see that was more then just a stinky year?

In Phil 1:6, Paul wrote "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

David wrote in Psalm 23:4,

"Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;"

Isiaiah 40:31 "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

These are the things we need to remind ourselves and meditate on when things are looking dark and dreary, when there seems to be no hope in the world!

And the best part about the Gospel of Jesus Christ??? The part where this comparison is lost???  As a Michigan fan, I can only dream of a National Championship..it may happen–it may not.

But as a Christian, the final victory is guaranteed!

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" I John 5:4-5