Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching. — 2 Timothy 4:2
As coaches, our jobs do not end with the final game of the season. Even out of season we are recruiting, reviewing game films, and developing a plan for the next year. We set goals and requirements for our athletes—all to prepare them for competition.
God instructed Moses to receive the Ten Commandments, “Cut two stone tablets…be prepared by morning. Come up Mount Sinai in the morning and stand before Me on the mountaintop” (Ex 34:1). Throughout the Old Testament, God gave instructions on preparing sacrifices, being prepared for battle, preparing food, and preparing to build the temple.
The Bible also tells us what God has prepared for those that love Him and follow His commandments. Hebrews 11:16 says, “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”
Just as we prepare for a game, not knowing the outcome, we will not always know what life may require of us. On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a Pennsylvania field as five men under the lead of Todd Beamer decided to fight back against terrorists. James Smith, Capitol Hill staffer, said of his former college classmate, “He was a real athlete…You always got the sense that he had done his homework.”
We need to be prepared for what’s awaiting us after the clock has run out on this earthly life. Like Moses, let’s be prepared to stand before Him on the mountaintop. Let’s be ready!
1. Are you the best Christian influence you can be to your players?
2. Have you prepared to be the best parent, spouse, or friend you can be?
3. Are you prepared to stand before God one day, to meet Him on the mountaintop?
Extra Reading: John 14:1–3; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Ephesians 6:13–17; 2 Timothy 2:19–21
Lord, thank You for allowing me to be in the position of a coach, setting an example for young people. May I take this responsibility seriously, knowing that my athletes are watching me at all times. Thank You for preparing a place for me for all eternity. Amen.