Devotion for teams or small groups for students

Why do you play sports?

What do you hope to accomplish from playing your sport?

What price are you willing to pay to achieve that goal?

We could ask the same questions in all of life, and it is good to stop sometime and ask yourself these questions, and then answer them!!!  Evaluate your progress to see if you are on pace to achieve your goal, or if you need to modify your training regimen.  In the Bible we are taught in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, do it heartily to the Lord and not to men.” So, do your best at all times and in all things, as you remember God is watching you and His desire is for you to do your best.

How many of you have participated in this sport for years?

Do you like it?  Why?

For those who have won championships, it is extremely rewarding and worth the price you paid, right?  Regardless of the cost involved, when our dreams are fulfilled it is satisfying, but temporary.  As a follower of Jesus, I have studied the Bible in an effort to know Him better, and to become a better disciple of His.  I had a goal to read through the Bible in a year when I was younger, and I did it!  I discovered that fulfilling that goal was not nearly as satisfying as I thought, because then another year started and I didn’t read the whole Bible that year, which meant I felt a little disappointed.  Have you ever felt that way when you did not accomplish your goal or fulfill your dream?

I came across a verse in the Bible that helped me understand why I felt the way that I did, and it is 2 Timothy 2:15.  It says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  I understood that God was telling me that I don’t have to read the Bible through in a year to impress Him or to accomplish some spiritual goal.  He wants me to study His Word and to learn how to apply it to my life so that other people notice and begin to question me about why I am different from them.  That is my opportunity to tell them about God and how He has changed me through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ and through His Word, the Bible.
As you go through this season of life, I hope that you will not neglect the truly important things in life, like your studies, your family relationships, and your spiritual condition.  If you are not a follower of Jesus, or if you don’t know what that means, I would love to speak with you about that and explain how my life has been changed.  Or, you can access this link to discover more about how to follow Jesus and experience this changed life: https://churchatthegrove.com/believe

You can contact me at:
Pat Hardin, Connections Pastor-Church at the Grove
pat@churchatthegrove.com
(404) 360-9152