Devotional on ordinary: January 8

Sports Spectrum Daily Devotional: Wednesday, January 8

By Sports Spectrum Jan 8, 2020

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“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him. It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'” — 1 Corinthians. 1:26-31

From Ordinary to Great

Everyone looks at the “perfect” athlete as somebody that really has it all together.

“I sure would like to be as good as him, but that will never happen. I’m just an ordinary person. I don’t have his skills. I can never do that.”

The same thing happens in our personal and public life in Christ. We look at others and think the same thing. “I don’t have the ability to do great things, be a great personal witness for Christ, or lead large groups of people.”

You know something, God has the habit of taking these “ordinary” people and training them into great “athletes” for Him.

Many of the athletes we idolize didn’t become great over night. It was a continuous process of weeding out the bad habits and strengthening the good skills. Start perfecting your own skills. Sit down at God’s training table and grow strong on the words of the Bible.

— Tom Behrens

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Daily Devotional: Tuesday, April 22 – Accountability

By Sports Spectrum Apr 22, 2025

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“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” — Ephesians 4:15

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The results of King David’s affair with Bathsheba were horrendous (2 Samuel 11-13). She got pregnant and David ordered the murder of her husband, who was one of his own military leaders.

Although David suffered greatly from the consequences of his sin, he received forgiveness from the Lord (Psalm 51) after God sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke him and convict him of his sin (2 Samuel 12:1-7). To David’s credit, he received Nathan’s rebuke and acknowledged his sin. King David didn’t defend his actions or make excuses. He admitted that he had blown it and took full responsibility. He allowed himself to be held accountable.

Rebuke is a word we don’t use much anymore, but it’s found repeatedly in the Bible. It means to express a sharp, stern disapproval or reprimand to chastise or admonish, especially a formal one given by a person in authority.

One mark of a trustworthy leader is one who graciously and humbly receives valid criticism and allows himself to be checked and held accountable for his actions (Proverbs 27:5, Psalm 141:5). Good leaders also know how to rebuke and hold others accountable in a way that promotes growth and change, not resentment and rebellion (Ephesians 4:15 (above), Colossians 4:6).

To be a great leader or teammate, you must be humble enough to allow yourself to be held accountable for your actions, and wise enough to know how to hold others accountable, not out of a critical heart but a loving one.

— Jerry Birch, Cleveland Cavaliers chaplain

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Daily Devotional: Monday, April 21 – Blood, Sweat & Tears

By Sports Spectrum Apr 21, 2025

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“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” — 2 Corinthians 8:9

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Everybody wants to hold up the trophy at the end of the season, but the most important blood, sweat and tears are shed in the offseason, long before the season starts. The best and most productive players focus on proper nutrition and avoid overeating during this period of time. They are relentless in weightlifting and running, and perhaps swimming too for additional aerobic exercise. If they wait until the first day of training camp to run or build their muscles, they will get left behind and not get any playing time in games. Unselfishness and sacrifice are necessary to be a true team player.

Jesus gave up everything to come to earth, and we benefit from the infinite, spiritual riches of His incredible sacrifice. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

As we reflect on the insults, disrespect, unfairness and cruelty endured by Jesus during His first visit among us, we should be eternally grateful for the blood, sweat and tears poured out on our behalf to rescue us from our own wrongdoing. We get to truly know acceptance from God based upon Christ dying as our substitute and taking upon Himself what we deserved because we’ve wandered away from God’s commands so many times. When we compare Christ’s commitment to us with our flimsy faith, we should feel challenged to make a deeper and more lasting covenant with God. “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3).

The covenant offered through Christ has fewer “rules” than the Old Testament covenant, but the standard is the example of Christ, who lived out God’s ways to perfection. Christ lived a perfect life as the spotless Lamb, and offered His own life as payment for our sins. As Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples, He established a new remembrance by having the first Lord’s Supper (communion) with them. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins'” (Matthew 26:26-28).

During this Easter season — and every day for that matter — let us be more mindful of the blood, sweat and tears shed by our dear Savior as He poured out His life for us. He gained nothing for Himself, but we were richly rewarded because Jesus washed away every sin for believers. If we lived well for the rest of our lives, we couldn’t repay him. Christ died for us, the least we can do is to live our lives for Him.

— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia

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Daily Devotional: Friday, April 18 – Let Your Life Speak

By Sports Spectrum Apr 18, 2025

Rafael Nadal, left, and Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Paris Olympics, July 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” — Hebrews 13:7

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One of the most viral images from the 2024 Paris Olympics was in the sport of tennis as legendary champion Rafael Nadal shared the court in doubles with Spain’s newest star and champion, Carlos Alcaraz. For months, fans had anticipated seeing this moment as it was becoming obvious Nadal’s tournaments in the sport were limited. Everyone wanted to see that last image of the proverbial passing of the baton as Nadal’s imminent exit gave way for Alcaraz to take the sport into the future.

For more than 20 years, Rafa had been the guy. Now it was Carlos’ turn … but not until they’d had one final chance to share the court together. They had played a few matches as opponents, but never on the same side. Alcaraz grew up looking up to Nadal and felt privileged to share some time in the Olympic Village together and on court, and soak up all the wisdom he could while he had the opportunity. For the few matches they played in Paris, the atmosphere and the images were electric. But even more powerful was watching the mentoring from Nadal in those moments, showing Carlos the ropes and letting him see how champions carry themselves.

This was also evident in the sport of diving, particularly within the Chinese team. Anyone in diving knows the Chinese have owned the sport for decades, with only rare losses to other nations at events like the Olympics. And part of their dominance, said one commentator, is that they often pair up a less-experienced diver with a veteran diver, so they learn how it’s done from the champions. Thus, year after year, they help push the sport forward and keep developing new interest and ability among the younger generation because they prioritize mentoring and passing on that experience.

All of this got me thinking about the power of letting your life speak. Whatever experience and understanding you’ve been entrusted with — by God or anyone else — you have the responsibility to share it. What we know and what we learn isn’t just meant to be kept to ourselves. If it is something that will help and benefit others and society, we have the obligation to pass it on and help others steward it for the generation after them, and so on.

This is why Paul instructed the Philippian believers to practice the things they had learned and received and heard and seen in his own life (Philippians 4:9), and the result would be God’s presence and peace. Even Jesus employed the power of mentoring when He gave the Great Commission to go make disciples in all the world, teaching them what He had commanded (Matthew 28:19-20).

We need to take our responsibility to mentor seriously. Whatever our calling or work in life may be, we can all share our experiences and our wisdom with others. Just as we have received teaching from God’s Word and from wise people around us when it comes to doing life and growing as a person, we need to be willing to help others learn those things also. That keeps the knowledge multiplying and we begin to change the world, one person, one conversation, one act at a time.

— Katherine Singer

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Daily Devotional: Thursday, April 17 – The Immeasurables

By Sports Spectrum Apr 17, 2025

Wide receiver Ricky White runs the 40-yard dash, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” — 1 Samuel 16:7

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The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, which took place in Indianapolis (as it does every year) from Feb. 27 to March 2, was a showcase of pure athleticism. It was all about “the measurables” for these college football players hoping to be drafted into the NFL. How fast can he run? How much weight can he lift? How high can he jump? These and other questions were answered during the all-important combine weekend, giving the 32 NFL teams additional information to consider during April’s draft.

The media and fans often emphasize the combine as the single greatest indicator of future performance, and they can get swept up in the craze elicited by a few eye-popping numbers. But how important is the combine, truly? The fastest wide receiver rarely gets picked first, nor the strongest lineman nor the most agile edge rusher. The best general managers value more highly “the immeasurables” of a player demonstrated in real games during his college career — things like passion, leadership, work ethic and decision-making. In other words, they look for evidence of a player’s heart.

Our Heavenly Father, too, “looks at the heart” as He considers the people He’s made. In 1 Samuel 16, the Lord had declared that one of Jesse’s sons would be anointed king. Jesse then presented to God through Samuel his first seven sons, all of incredible stature and strength. They were “kingly” in every outward respect, possessing the physical traits typical of a king. Yet the Lord passed over them all.

There was one other son, but Jesse didn’t believe he was even worth bringing to the exhibition because he was too young and too small. Jesse had left him to tend the sheep.

That boy’s name was David. He was the son God selected, and he’s the one who would become the greatest king in the history of Israel. Jesse and Samuel were looking for outward appearances in their next king, but God saw beyond David’s youth and stature. God was looking at the heart, and David was a man after God’s own heart.

In Jesus’s day, the people of Israel were awaiting their Messiah, a king they believed would free them from Roman oppression. Many thought this king would be tall and strong, valiant in battle and politically savvy. Their Great King had indeed come — Jesus of Nazareth — but they made the same mistake as Jesse and Samuel; they were looking for outward appearances. Jesus, God Himself, came from Heaven to earth and took on flesh as a baby, born in a manger to a family from backwater Galilee. “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2b). Jesus was the Savior of the world, but like David, people missed Him because they were too busy looking at outward appearances.

When God looks on your heart, what will He see? Will He see a heart fully devoted to Christ? A heart that wants nothing more than a relationship with Jesus? You can’t hide behind the strength of your measurables: your parents’ faith, the number of church services you’ve attended, or your knowledge of Bible trivia. You must have a new heart. And God in His grace promises to give His people those new hearts, hearts which declare with David, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you…” (Psalm 63:1).

— Kevin Mercer

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