Get In The Game

It’s a rare person who gets to be both president and poster child for an organization, but the Anal Retentive Appreciation Society made an exception for me on account of my prodigious accomplishments in the field.  For example, I still have the spreadsheet of my cross-continent drives to see my soon-to-be-bride wherein I kept hand written records of my average speed, elapsed time, and gas mileage.  This was in an era before on-board computers and I had a burning desire to data mine.

As I write, the 2011 college football kick off (literally YAY!) is exactly one hour away.  And I’m ready.  To keep from daydreaming during games, I’ve prepared a simple, one page sheet to take notes about the action and digest why the game turned out the way it did.  (Dying of curiosity?  You can have a free copy by clicking here.)

Followers of Jesus are expected to be somewhat similarly engrossed in the Word or God (the Bible, scripture).  Here’s a word from our Sponsor:

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘ MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”
(Matthew 4:3-5)

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.  (John 8:30-32)

Now these [Bereans] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.  (Acts 17:11)

Literally speaking, followers of Jesus hang on His every word.  How do you do that?  Here’s a well-worn list that will serve you well as you read early and often in the Word.  As you read a passage ask yourself:

Is there an example to follow?
Is there a promise to claim?
Is there a prayer to repeat?
Is there a command to obey?
Is there a verse to memorize / meditate on?

Get in the game.  Stay in the game.  Hang on Jesus’ every word.  There’s the victory.

Oh, and followers of Jesus also cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame.  I promise.  You can look it up.

Clark H Smith