631 Put Me In the Game

Happy New Year 2020, part 2! All things have been made new here today as we wake up to a clean slate and fresh start. The old has passed away, what has happened has happened, we’re here to receive what God has prepared for us now. The first half of 2020 has taught us life can change in an instant. We now personally understand how fragile and precious goodness is and we must enjoy the moments we have without taking a single thing for granted. No day is guaranteed, no thing is guaranteed, and no one is guaranteed. We know that because real life has touched us and taught us and ya’ll we’ve been in the school of life! So we come out of this better. We rise up from the ashes of the first half, we dust ourselves off and declare to God we’re ready to live up to our potential in this second half. We’re ready to partner with him in using all things together for good now. Yes, we will be active partners in making 2020 part 2 better. Here we are on day one, stepping back onto the field after taking a beating in the first half and we have one thing to say … COACH, PUT ME IN THE GAME! I don’t want to sit this thing out. I don’t want to watch this pass me by. I want the opportunity to show what I’m made of and what you put inside of me. I’m ready to do this! Put me in the game. God has given you an opportunity to live now, not everyone received that opportunity. You did, now what will you do with it? Job 11:13-18 is a playbook for our 2nd half of this year. “So commit yourself to God completely. Reach out your hands to him for help. Get rid of all of the sin you have. Don’t let anything that is evil stay in your tent. Then you can face others without feeling any shame. You can stand firm without being afraid. You can be sure you will forget your troubles. They will be like water that has flowed on by. Life will be brighter than the sun at noon. And darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope.” Now, after the troubles of the past 6 months, THERE IS HOPE! The darkness is now morning. We’ve learned how to let life flow like water. It comes and it goes, and God’s power flows through us as we refuse to hang on to past problems and hurts. Like water, it flows and we receive a fresh supply of God’s provision today. A fresh supply of strength. A fresh supply of hope. Here, we are renewed as we recommit ourselves to God completely. God, I’m ready to show up with the best you put in me. I’m ready to receive your help. I’m ready to overcome any sin and banish any evil that has been present in my life. I’m ready to stand firm without being afraid. And God, I’m ready to forget my troubles and let them flow on by like water. With you, life will be bright again and the darkness will flee. While things are still uncertain and I know I’m not in control of what may come, I know this … YOU HAVE GIVEN ME HOPE. Receive your fresh start today. Renew your commitment to the life you said you were going to live this year by becoming the person you were created to be. The first half of this year has been strength training to help you become that person. You’ve been pushed and you’ve been pulled. You’ve been stretched and you’ve been strengthened. Heck, you’ve survived a pandemic. Put that on your list and check it off! We’re still surviving a pandemic. Now second half, we can do better because we know better. We know what’s truly important because it was threatened. Our priorities are finally back in line and we will no longer act like entitled, spoiled brats complaining about all we have to do on any given day. Nope, now we realize we don’t have to, darn it WE GET TO! We take the lessons we have learned and we face the future wi...