Put Me In Coach

If you’re as old as I am you probably remember John Fogerty’s song Centerfield with the lyrics “Put me in coach, I’m ready to play today. Put me in coach, I’m ready to play today. Look at me I can play centerfield.”  As a kid I always wanted to be in the game. I spent years visualizing and rehearsing over and over making a spectacular touchdown catch worthy to be on ESPN’s Top 10 highlight reel. Or hitting a two point shot at the buzzer to win the championship trophy. Or making a diving catch in centerfield to end the game by one run in the bottom of the 9 th inning. And if I wasn’t playing during the game I would always be laser focused on the coach ready for the moment he would motion me to get back in there. That same attitude transcended into a 27 year military career as well. I was always eager to volunteer for challenging assignments. I believed I was contributing toward a higher purpose; working toward a cause greater then myself; building relationships to achieve a common goal; utilizing the gifts that God had given me to glorify Him.
   
Right now at this moment in history, God has provided the backdrop for us with the
opportunity to help the hurting, reassure the anxious, pray for those in need, and point others to receive the joy and peace that comes from knowing Jesus Christ. God wants you to utilize the spiritual gifts He has given you to further the Kingdom of Heaven. This is not a new concept for Christians. Jesus challenged ALL of His disciples with the Great Commission, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere” (Mark 16:15 NLT). Knowing this truth, let us act in a way that bears witness to our great God. Let’s make use of our gifts drawing on the opportunities God has opened up during this crisis to share the salvation message. Whether in word or deed we can present the love of God to others. Peter wrote about  this in 1 Peter 4:10-11, “God has given gifts to each of you from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you. Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All glory and power belong to Him forever and ever. Amen.”
 
  A Latin term used quite often is Carpe Diem-seize the day. The time is now to get into the game and let God use your talents to be a game changer in the world. You can make a
difference in your family, on your block, in your neighborhood, at your school, at your work, in your friendships, or anywhere God has opened the door for you to share His love. You have been perfectly placed exactly where you’re at to be a difference maker. Esther from the Book of Esther had the opportunity to be a game changer for the Jewish people thousands of years ago and by her actions saved a nation. You can read for yourself the circumstances that led to Esther being chosen to be a queen of a rival kingdom, but Chapter 4 Verse 14 of Esther speaks to our need today, “If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance for the Jews (you can add the lost, the broken hearted, the downtrodden) will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. What’s more who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this? “Yes. Who can say if your actions today will save a nation
tomorrow?

Dave Carey

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