Ready:
"So the Lord God sent him away from the garden of Eden. . ."
-Genesis 3:23
Set:
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ted Lilly had nearly blown an 8-run lead by giving up seven runs in the 3rd inning of their August 21, 2006, game against the Oakland A's. A's manager John Gibbons walked to the mound to remove Lilly from the game, a confrontation ensued, and the pitcher refused to give up the ball. He finally did, but the argument continued in the tunnel of the dugout where there were reports of a scuffle. "We were on the verge of something regrettable happening," Lilly said.
Have you ever wondered how Adam and Eve felt when God sent them out of the garden after eating the forbidden fruit? The Bible doesn't give us any details about their feelings, but I can imagine there must have been an immense amount of regret on their part having realized what had just happened. One minute they were living in sinless paradise, and the next they were not only banished from the garden, but also left with all these emotions they'd never felt before (shame, guilt, fear, anger, etc.).
We've all done things that we regret. The key is to minimize those regrettable mistakes by stopping and looking at potential consequences brought about by the actions. This week I encourage you to slow down and be aware of those times when you are "on the verge of something regrettable."
Go:
1. What is something you have done as a competitor that you regret? Why?
2. How do you know when you are on the verge of something regrettable?
3. Is there anything going on in your life that could cause regret down the road? What is it, and what are you going to do about it?
Workout:
- 2 Corinthians 7:10
- How did these men deal with life when they were on the verge of something regrettable? What was the turning point in these situations?
- Cain (Genesis 4:1-16)
- David (2 Samuel 11)
- Jesus (Matthew 4)