lessons from the super bowl

I developed a love for football when Cameron was around 7 or 8 years old.  And of course I love the Patriots best!  So when they made it to the Super Bowl last year I was super excited.  Except for one thing.  Unlike most football fans, I HATE close games or games where my team is losing.  I get so stressed out!  So even though it wasn't close, when the Falcons started scoring and scoring and scoring, I went upstairs with a book too worked up to watch it.  Andrew kept running upstairs with updates and I kept trying not to get my hopes up.  I mean, it was pretty much impossible to comeback that many points with so little time left.  Although I was reading, I was very much in tune to the noise downstairs- the cheers, the groans, the screams.  And when Andrew told me there was less than a minute left and they were going for a 2 point conversion to tie the game, I was beside myself with anxiety!  Of course the Patriots got the extra points, went into overtime, and won the game!

Last night Andrew was rewatching the last quarter of the Super Bowl.  This time I watched every minute!  I wasn't worried about Julio Jones' incredible catch or whether Julian Edelman's catch was really a catch, or if the Patriots could manage the clock and score the points.  I knew the end and I knew they won.

Every time the camera showed Bill Belichick's face (although reading it was next to impossible!) I wanted to say- it's okay!  Relax!  Your team wins- no worries!  It will all be okay!  I had no anxiety or stress whatsoever!

It occurred to me that God knows my life from beginning to end.  He sees the plays that cause injury or penalty.  He sees the unfair calls that look to be game changing against me.  He sees when the circumstances seem to be stacked against me and impossible- but He knows "I win".  The brilliance and wisdom of the Patriots' coaching staff is pretty incredible.  But the brilliance and wisdom of my Coach is flawless and without any chance of error.  All I need to do is follow His calls.  Follow His play book.  Should I go for it on fourth down?  Should I keep going for a td or take a field goal?  Two point conversion or point after? Run or pass?  Making my own calls is risky, but listening for the voice of my Coach and doing what He says?  No chance of failure- even when it looks like it!

So last night, when I was "telling" Bill not to worry, it would all be okay because I knew the ending?  I felt like God was saying the same thing to me.

Psalm 139:16 You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.