A Quick Testimony

Tracey and I are driving to Las Vegas on Monday, January 26th, where I am going to address the boys volleyball team at Desert Pines High School near downtown at 2:00.  I am really looking forward to addressing these guys with my story and encouraging them with some of the lessons both practical and spiritual that helped me transform as an athlete and a person…and a tire blows out.

Fortunately, we made it off the freeway just fine.  (Thank you, Lord)  But, of course, we were three hours late getting to LV and had to cancel the speaking engagement.  One of my first thoughts was, “Why did you let this happen, God?  You know what a great thing it would have been for me to speak to these guys!”  And just as soon as the thought was finished, I (or the Lord) reminded me of yesterday’s message and asking the wrong questions.  The “Why did you let this happen, God?” question is no longer relevant when we consider his WILL in light of his NATURE.

God’s nature is Triune.  He gives himself in agape love to Jesus and the Holy Spirit and that is reciprocated/initiated throughout eternity.  That is the first assumption.  No longer is my mental starting point GOD’S OMNIPOTENT POWER AND WILL OVER THE UNIVERSE!  I certainly believe that He is omnipotent and that he is the sovereign power over all others, BUT that power is conditioned by self-giving love in relationship with the Trinity.  The amazing thing is that God has invited you and me into this relationship of self-giving love and that is the starting point…our first assumption.

So, when my tire blew out, the first question I should have asked was, “How would you lovingly relate in this situation, Jesus?  That would have brought me peace and not stress and a search for opportunities to serve up a plate of God’s true love to whomever might come along (the AAA guy, the tire guy, etc.?).  People could leave their encounter with me thinking, “Wow, he wasn’t stressed/pissed/angry at all.  In fact, he was just the opposite”.  To tell you the truth, that kind of happened.  Let’s continue to encourage one another in this new way of thinking, which I believe is closer to God’s heart and nature than ways most of us are accustomed.