The New England Patriots did not really win their football game Sunday afternoon as much as the Chargers lost the game. Sometimes you are given a gift. I was amused by a student this morning who came up to me with a big smile as he said, “We won.” We? Strange I had not noticed him on the field during the game. I wondered which pass he caught or which field goal he kicked. But I didn’t say anything like that to him. His smile was too big. He was so very happy. I could not say anything to take away his joy.
As he walked down the hall I thought about heaven and eternal life. We win. We? If I take a good look at my life I would have to say that I certainly haven’t contributed anything to this victory. I was not in Gethsemane. I wasn’t nailed to a cross. And yet when I think of it I smile. That is unless I actually think about the gruesome nature of the cross. It is the fruit that makes me smile. I hope it is as big as my student’s smile. I should be so happy. I should be way more happy. I am not talking about a game. I am talking about eternity, an eternity of endless growth and development.
How interesting it is that Paul says in Romans that we are more than conquerors in Christ. It’s all vicarious. Vicariously my student won Sunday afternoon. Vicariously we win an infinite amount of Sunday afternoons. Sunday afternoons without end. I like the sound of that. Because for us to have an infinite number of Sundays we need an infinite amount of Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sabbaths. How grand!
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 26, 2010
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org