“Oh, I must find rest in God only, because my hope comes from him! Only God is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold! I will not be shaken. My deliverance and glory depend on God. God is my strong rock. My refuge is in God. All you people: Trust in him at all times! Pour out your hearts before him! God is our refuge!” (Psalm 62:5-8 Contemporary English Bible)
I read the following in a Sports Illustrated publication on the internet regarding timeouts. I will use it as my lead in for this Thursday’s meditation.
“NBA rules state that each team is given six timeouts each during the course of a 48-minute game, with one 20-second timeout allowed per half and each overtime period. Each team is also limited to no more than three timeouts in the fourth quarter. If a team has two or three full timeouts left with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, one of those timeouts will be changed to a 20-second timeout and the other will remain a full timeout. Should the game reach overtime, each team will have two 60-second timeouts. If a team has two full timeouts remaining when the overtime session reaches the 2:00 mark, one of the timeouts will be changed to a 20-second timeout.”
This morning be glad that you can take a timeout and turn your attention to your coach any time of the day. Your Coach is the Lord. Your still have timeouts! As a matter of fact, there is no limit on how many times you can call Him and pause to let Him inspire you to carry out your day to ensure a victorious experience. Listen! If your defense against your opponents are weak at any point today, take a timeout and call on Him. If your spiritual offense is not running on all cylinders, call a timeout and see how He can help you. He is the expert at designing plans that work out. If you can’t remember what you are to do, as written in the inspired playbook (The Bible) today, take a timeout and go to the Coach in prayer. And after you “break huddle; ” after the timeout, get up and ask for additional Help on the count of three, “Help me Holy Ghost!” If you look like the day is heading toward the point where you will increase the number in your personal loss column, please take a timeout and get a strategy from the Coach! Live out the day to win and depend on the Coach! Don’t lean on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him and He will provide ample and dependable directions. He knows more about the game called life than you do! He is the Creator of life, the giver of life, and He should be at the center of life! Take the timeout when you need it! Okay? I don’t know about you, but I will be calling a few timeouts today or should I say at this early hour, for more timeouts.
Let me give you three more basketball tips to apply to the basic truths that you must keep in mind and respond to, day by day. Here are the tips! (1) Preparation is necessary! (2) Practice is required! Yes, talking about practice. The more you apply what you learn in your preparation, the better you will do in the game of life. (3) Put on your uniform, described below, that will help you produce an all-around performance as it relates to both defense and offense. Exact specifics are detailed in the closing verses below, taken right from your playbook. Excel today! Remember: “Yes! You still have timeouts! Use them!” Be blessed!
“And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.” (Ephesians 6:1-18 The Message Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King